Tengu Politics
by Susilo
Summary: As the heiress of the Inubashiri clan, much is expected of Momiji. She simply wasn't prepared for how much was expected of her. She'd trained her whole life to be the best in the Tengu Patrol Corps, but what is one to do when everything she's trained for is taken from her?
1. Chapter 1

Scarlet (soon to be renamed Scarlet Ambitions) will be updated as well as revised over the course of this semester. My apologies for the wait. I'll be tackling this story as well in the meantime.

Also, this fic is set in the same universe as Scarlet, but doesn't really require having read Scarlet to understand. The focus is on a completely different set of characters, after all. For those that have read Scarlet and care about a sort of timeline for the two fics, know that Scarlet begins at the start of summer and this fic begins at the start of autumn in the same year.

* * *

**Chapter 1****: Her Place**

Though there existed many clans of White Wolf Tengu in Gensokyo, few could rival the dedication of the Inubashiri clan. Theirs was a long line of servitude towards the land they had sworn to protect. Though the Inubashiri were not the only clan to have members charged with patrolling Tengu lands, theirs was the only one who had dedicated themselves to it entirely.

Though their duty was noble, the Inubashiri clan's reputation remained mediocre at best amongst the White Wolves. Other wolves found their calling in politics or in the direct servitude of their superiors, the Crow Tengu. The fact that the Inubashiri had no direct ties to a Crow household hurt their standing greatly.

For the young heir to the Inubashiri name, however, politics and standing were trivial matters at best. All that mattered was the preservation and safety of the lands the Tengu had come to call home.

Momiji took a deep breath and allowed a small smile to spread across her lips as she stood atop one of the taller trees along the eastern edge of the Tengu territory. The sun was slowly falling just behind the mountain to the west, coating the entire side of the mountain in a vibrant orange glow. This was easily her favorite part of the day and had become somewhat of a ritual for her as she ended her patrol.

Looking out at the beauty before her was a reminder that every patrol day was worth it.

Her patrol today had been rather uneventful, though. much to the white wolf's dismay. A worth cause or not, patrolling an area no one dared to intrude upon could be rather boring, even she had to admit. Though on the other hand, patrolling on days either of the mikos or their accomplices were investigating some strange occurrence would always turn out rather... painful. In that sense, days such as these weren't so terrible.

She wouldn't need bandages when she returned home, at least.

Still, she sometimes wished that some random passerby would stumble into the Tengu's side of the mountain, if only so she could stop and escort them out. Stopping to fight and force them out would be even more preferable.

God knew she hadn't faced an opponent that turned out to be her equal in quite some time. They always turned out to be small-fry or someone far beyond her skill level. There was no honor in the former, and only pain in the latter.

However, right now was different. Now, she wished no one would intrude. The sight of the setting sun, the sounds of the local wildlife, and the smell of the autumn foliage carried by the cool evening winds were all a blessing to her enhanced senses. This feeling was bliss.

_Snap_

"Of course," Momiji groaned loudly as her ears twitched from the unwanted sound intruding upon her reverie. This was her fault, she knew. Curse her for wishing for an intruder at this time of day, the white wolf thought to herself as she tried to pinpoint the location of the noise. Monotonous patrol or not, having her evening ritual broken was never appreciated.

Whoever it was, she'd make them pay.

_'__There __you __are__,'_ she thought, as her ears managed pick up the sounds of light footsteps on the soft grass roughly a kilometer away. A fallen twig at the exact edge of Tengu territory had been the source of the noise, but from the sounds of the footsteps, two people had been the cause.

Momiji began to leap from tree, allowing herself small bursts of flight between each one as she rapidly closed in on the soft sounds. She'd use the branches below as cover until she found the exact location of her prey.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see another wolf doing the same about three kilometers away, yet he came to an abrupt stop when their eyes met. She turned back towards the noise and smirked. The wolf had not been an Inubashiri, but the name carried at least some respect amongst the others who patrolled these lands. From the looks of it, it seemed the other wolves were content to allow her the pleasure of the hunt this day.

Fine by her.

The sounds were getting louder the closer she came to her targets, but even at their distance, her ears were having to adjust to the sheer volume of one of the intruders. Judging by their footsteps, the louder one was far shorter than the silent one. Even their footsteps mirrored the volume of their voices, which was odd to say the least. That they hadn't been flying suggested that the two were actively trying to stay hidden among the trees, yet their inability to keep silent suggested otherwise.

From what she could hear of their footsteps, the both of them were simply walking naturally, as if unaware of their intrusion. That the taller one's steps were so quiet despite the weight difference hinted that they had gone through some sort of training in their time. She'd have to exercise caution when dealing with that one, at least.

"But then Dai-chan was all like 'That doesn't seem like a good idea,'" the loud one proclaimed. Momiji hadn't been focused on exactly what the voice had been saying, but now that she was closer, she could comprehend their words more easily. She just wished she still couldn't though. That annoying voice was familiar. "Then I was like, 'Don't worry. I'm the strongest, remember. It'll be fine.'" It was nothing more than mindless chatter... Never anything more than mindless chatter with that one...

"I take it she didn't quite agree with you. there," the taller of the two spoke kindly.

"Dai-chan just worries a lot," the shorter one mumbled. "She knows I can take care of myself."

Momiji landed silently on a branch overlooking the two, though she had to fight the urge to let out an audible sigh upon receiving confirmation on just who dared to intrude at this our. She had Cirno's voice memorized by now, after all, though she had hoped that it had been her ears playing tricks on her. Of those that she had driven from Tengu lands, that fairy was one of the few repeat offenders.

"I'm surprised she didn't come with you," the taller one, clad in green, stated.

The taller one was new, the white wolf admitted. She'd never met her in person, but recognized her by occupation. On clear days, Momiji could see all the way to the largest lake in Gensokyo. At its center was an island home to a large, overly extravagant mansion with the green clad intruder standing ever vigilant... most of the time ever vigilant at the gate.

"She said she'd come, but she was late so I came to get you instead," Cirno explained without an ounce of shame.

The green-clad one brought a hand to her forehead and sighed, mirroring Momiji's own reaction. This was the status quo for the little fairy, she'd come to realize.

"That's... not very nice of you, Cirno."

She was half tempted to leap down and attack right then. The fairy deserved a rude awakening at the least for her selfishness. Even though the white wolf had encountered Cirno enough to know her behavior was natural and never intentionally rude, the girl still needed to be taught a lesson at some point.

The green-clad one's presence stayed her hand, though. She was a first offender, and her code demanded that she give first offenders fair warning. It wasn't just that, however. It was the way the taller woman carrier herself, even during small talk, that gave her away. As she suspected, there was a secret behind this one's demeanor. A hidden strength, perhaps. Giving the two a warning would be as much for her benefit as the intruders'.

"You should really consider the feelings of your friends mo-"

"Halt!" Momiji yelled sternly as she landed several paces in front of the two. "You will go no further."

The green-clad woman stopped her advance, but gave no inclination that she'd been fazed by the white wolf's sudden appearance. The ice fairy, however, was not so composed.

"You!" Cirno pointed at the white wolf sternly. "Cheater!"

"I have a name."

"I know that," Cirno stamped her foot on the ground angrily. "Momizi is a big fat cheater!"

"It's Momiji," she growled. It irritated her that the fairy got her name wrong nearly every time the two met, but even more so that she wasn't the first to do it. It happened much more often than she'd prefer.

"Cheater," Cirno huffed.

"I'm a little lost here," the green-clad woman scratched her cheek and sighed. "What's going on?"

"Meiling!" Cirno practically shouted before floating up to look her companion in the eye. "This girl keeps attacking me when I come here, and she cheats too! See that shield and sword," she pointed at her again. "she keeps blocking and splitting my attacks before they hit her. It's cheating!"

"There's not really a formal set of rules for-"

"It's cheating!"

Meiling signed once again before turning back to face the glaring Momiji.

"Okay, okay," she waved a hand sideways at the fairy. "I think I get the gist of what's going on here. This land is-"

"Private," the white wolf finished for the green-clad woman curtly. "This side of the mountain is Tengu property, and you are currently intruding where you are not welcome. You of all people should understand that, gate guard. However," she lightened her previously stern tone a bit, "the Tengu are not a purely reclusive people. I am obligated to hear you out if your business here is of dire importance or would benefit the Tengu. I ask you this but once, gate guard, what brings you here?"

"Frogs!" Cirno interrupted with a loud, excited shout. "Where are the frogs? I heard there was a lake full of frogs here, so I came to play with them. Where are they? You know, don't you? Tell me!"

Momiji couldn't stop her hand from returning to rest on her forehead. Every time this little fairy tried to trespass into Tengu lands, she found a new way to give her a headache.

Yet... even in Inubashiri heiress had heard the rumors of a hidden lake filled to the brim with frogs of all sizes and species located somewhere in Tengu lands. It seemed like every Crow Tengu in Gensokyo was spouting some variation of that tale, as gossip-loving as crows could be. It was pure foolishness and falsifications, Momiji had concluded. She'd been up and down every millimeter of these lands and could safely say she knew them better than anyone else. She could tell her own location by only the smell if need be. She was certain nothing of the sort existed here.

Still, if it was frogs on the mountain they sought, she could only think of but one of note. Though she knew better when facing down an unknown opponent, she couldn't stop herself from looking away to take a quick scan of the peak of the mountain. At the top, she could barely make out the torii archway above the pathway leading to the Moriya shrine.

As it turned out, today was an unlucky day. On rare occasions, one of the denizens of the Moriya shrine could be seen lazing atop the torii archway in front of their shrine. Today was such a day.

A small, childlike figure was laying atop the archway... gazing directly down at the three of them.

Did gods have senses that rivaled her own, Momiji wondered. Could that one really see them, or even hear their conversation. Momiji stifled a shudder as she turned back to face the intruders. The prospect of it gave her all the more reason to see that these two exited Tengu lands promptly, more than ever before. The last thing she needed was a rampaging god personally seeking to cease the ice fairy's "playtime" with her amphibian brethren in her territory. This would have to end now.

"That is your reason, then?" She asked for confirmation only out of respect for the taller one.

"What Cirno, here, said is true," The green-clad woman Cirno had called 'Meiling' confirmed. "She heard a rumor about a lake of frogs and wanted me to come with her to find it. She was rather... insistent."

"I see," she allowed her voice to return to her previous, stern tone. "Then, it is as I said before," Momiji's eyes narrowed threateningly, "you will go no further. I suggest you and your furry companion turn back now, gate guard. I will respond with force if necessary."

"Gate guard, huh," Meiling smiled as her gaze drifted towards the sky. "Yeah, I know what you're doing. I know what you have to do. I know your job well. Tell me something, though," her gaze fell back on the white wolf with an odd, glazed look in her eyes. "How many vacation days do you get a year?"

"What?"

"I'm just wondering," Meiling continued. "Guarding a place can get pretty boring after a while, with nothing but the same, unchanging scenery to look at. Doing the same thing day in and day out, for nearly three hundred and sixty-five days out of the year, it's only natural that such people be given time to cool off and clear their heads every once in a while, wouldn't you say?"

Momiji raised an eyebrow at the woman's rant. She was making even less sense than the fairy.

"Me? I get six vacation days each year, one for every other month. I don't even get holidays off! Does that seem fair to you?" Meiling sighed angrily. "Sakuya says six is more than I deserve, but I'm at my wits end after all these years. I just can't take it anymore. I just need some time off! I just need to have a little fun." Meiling shouted as the crazed look in her eyes grew fiercer. "So... you have to understand, when my friend just happens to show up on my one free day in the past two months and decides to drag me along with her..."

Momiji leapt backwards and gripped the hilt of her sword as she watched the green-clad woman fall into some sort of martial arts stance.

"...I'm not going to let a little warning stop me from what my friend here wants to see. Today, I'm going to enjoy myself. I'm going to have fun. I'm going to have the time of my life!" Her head cocked to the side at an odd angle. "You understand, don't you Miss Wolf?"

Momiji took it back. She took it all back when concerning this woman's demeanor. She was just as much of an idiot as the fairy.

Grasping her sword tightly, Momiji did not hesitate to charge.

⑨

"Meiling!" Cirno yelled as tears filled her eyes. "Meiling, wake up. Wake up!" She was kneeling over her fallen friend, trying desperately to shake her from her unconscious state.

"She will... be fine," Momiji spoke between heavy pants. The fight had been much more difficult than she had anticipated. She cursed herself for allowing her opponent's odd behavior cloud her judgment at the last minute. "I simply used the blunt end of my sword for the final blow."

It was a miracle she had landed it, though. The gate guard had turned out to be a close quarters martial artist, and a fairly agile one at that. The green-clad woman had used her speed to evade most of her strikes and had put her under constant pressure. She might even had been a match for Momiji... if circumstances had been different.

Cirno's unpredictability had been her greatest asset in the fight, yet it had also proven to be their greatest hindrance. Meiling had been forced to concentrate on dodging the fairy's attacks as well as Momiji's, and had also been overly focused on provoking the wolf into attacking her instead of the fairy. If this had been a one-on-one contest, Momiji wasn't sure how it would have turned out. When she returned home, she'd have to report on the gate guard's battle prowess to the other wolves for future reference.

"You..."

Of course, she still had work to do here before then.

"Why?"

"I explained myself quite clearly," Momiji stated plainly. "You are trespassing. After so many attempts, I would think you would know better by now."

"I just wanted to play with the frogs!" The fairly shook the tears from her eyes to reveal an icy glare. "Why do you get in my way? Why does everyone always get in my way when I'm just trying to have fun?"

_'__Because __a __fairy__'__s __idea __of __fun __oftentimes __entails __intruding __upon __the __civil __liberties __of __those __around __them__,'_ Momiji thought to herself. She decided against voicing that observation, however. The fairy was worked up enough as it was.

"I told Meiling I'd show her the frogs," Cirno stood with a determined look in her eyes. "I'm not a liar! I'm going to show her the frogs, even if..." She clenched her fist furiously. "Even if you're a chea-"

"Cirno!" A new voice bellowed.

Momiji's eyes to narrow further. This time, it was out of annoyance at herself. She'd been too preoccupied to keep tabs on her surroundings. This fairy truly brought out the worst in her. The White Wolf chanced a moment to take a deep breath and began to focus again. Instantly her surroundings became clear, and she could sense the owner of the new voice behind a group of trees not far from their location. Unfortunately, she also sensed something else. She noticed something out of place in a nearby tree behind her; something, out of place, unwanted, and incredibly irritating. She'd have to deal with that afterward, though. It, at least, had the decency to wait until her current job was complete. For now, there was another fairy coming. Hopefully this was would prove less frustrating.

"Where are you, Cirn-" The voice stopped when the fairy, a green-winged one this time, appeared from behind a nearby tree, stumbling onto the scene.

"Dai-chan," Cirno spoke softly out of shock more than anything. "What are you doing her-"

"I'm looking for you!" The green-winged fairy yelled in exasperation. "I told you not to come here! I told you I'd help you look along the edge of the border, instead!"

"You were late, so..."

"Miss Meiling!" The new fairy gasped as her eyes dropped to the unconscious body in front of the two. "What happ-" The fairy's voice left her and her mouth hung agape as her eyes drifted upwards towards Momiji. "I'm sorry!" Like a flash, the fairy was on her knees before her, bowing apologetically. "I know neither of them are supposed to be here, but it's my fault, really. I should have been here to keep them away. Please don't hurt them anymore. We'll leave immediately."

Momiji loosened the grip on her sword and let out a sigh of relief. At least this one seemed reasonable. "See that you do."

"No!" It was Cirno again... "We came to see the fro-"

"What's more important," the green-winged fairy had jumped to her feet and was looming over Cirno in the blink of an eye, "frogs, or your friend's safety. She's hurt! You should at least take her someplace safe so she can rest! You care about her, don't you?"

"I... I..." The ice fairy began to clench and release her fist for a bit while her face contorted to an odd, conflicting expression. Finally, she spoke again.

"Fine," Cirno muttered softly before her voice began to rise again. "Meiling needs help; I get it. I get it already! I just wanted to show you guys the frogs. I wanted us to have fun!" She turned back towards Momiji, glaring as hard as a fairy could. "You! I'll be back."

"Cirno!"

"And I'm going to beat you, too! I don't care if you cheat, I'm going to beat you!" With wings fluttering angrily, Cirno flew over to the fallen Meiling and lifted one of her arms over her shoulder. "Come on, Dai-chan! We're leaving!"

"Yes!" The other fairy nodded with a smile before mirroring her friend's actions and helping her float the gate guard off the ground.

Momiji Stayed behind and watched them until they disappeared into the early night's darkness. This was done for many reasons. For one, she needed to be absolutely certain the ice fairy actually left and didn't try something stupid. Also, she was still quite tired from her fight. She'd prefer to wait and catch her breath before reporting on today's events. Finally, there was still that unwanted irritation looming behind her.

"Congratulation, Momiji," The white wolf's eye twitched as the irritation spoke, even having the gall to add in a mock applause. "You've just made the list of people Cirno's vowed to beat." A crow Tengu landed beside her. "Though, it's a long list, so it might take awhile for her to get around to you again."

"Greetings, Lady Shameimaru," Momiji sighed, which only grew louder when the crow continued talking. "What brings you here?"

"The list does include the likes of Reimu, Marisa, Suwako, all three of the Prismriver Sisters-"

"Miss Shameimaru..."

"Nue, Utsuho, Tenshi, Suika-"

"Lady Aya!"

"the entire Yakumo household-"

"Aya!"

"Was that so bad?" Aya Shameimaru smirked, leaning all too close to the white wolf's face for her liking. "I told you to stop with that formal wolf speech. You know I hate all that crow and wolf hierarchy nonsense."

"That would be improper," Momiji spoke flatly, leaning away from the intrusive crow. "What do you want?"

"Just to see you."

"What do you want?"

"Am I not allowed to come see a friendly face when returning with the spoils of war?" Aya questioned sarcastically.

"Your 'reporting' hardly qualifies as 'war.'" _'__And __my __face __can __hardly __be __considered __friendly __when __you__'__re __around__,'_ Momiji thought to herself. "Perhaps 'breaking and entering' would be a more apt description."

"You're so mean, Momiji," the crow's eyes filled with faux tears. "What happened to good little wolf I used to know. We used to be so close. Where did we go wrong?"

"You took pictures of me in the bath, for one," the wolf growled through gritted teeth. "That would be only one of your many, minor infringes on my privacy, though I'm sure I don't have to remind you of any of them, do I?"

"Nope!" Aya's faux tears were gone, replaced with with a wide smirk. "I still have the pictures, remember?"

Momiji gripped the hilt of her sword so tight it felt like her knuckles were about to bleed. This crow...

"Don't worry, though." Aya nodded, laughing in that unique way that irritated Momiji so. "I haven't shown the pictures to anyone. They're perfectly safe with me. I even look over them every night to make sure no one's tampered with them, too."

This crow... This crow... This crow...

"I like the one under the waterfall the best, by the way."

She was going to kill her, and she'd enjoy every minute of it. Every last second of bliss would be enjoyed to the fullest.

...

Momiji's grip on her sword loosened as a sudden realization hit her. She'd never bathed under a waterfall before.

"I hate you, do you know that?" The wolf growled in frustration, causing a genuine frown to form across the crow's lips.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes," she glared daggers. "You are utterly intolerable. I can't go a single day without you showing up to make things worse."

Aya sighed and muttered to herself, "I'm going about this the wrong way, aren't I? This isn't working."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing," she laughed awkwardly before continuing to mutter. "Freaking super wolf hearing."

Momiji rolled her eyes, taking note of the position of the rising moon in the process. She'd missed the sunset entirely, hadn't she? That idiot fairy, and now the crow, too. She was having such a good day until now.

"Listen," Aya continued, but with an uncharacteristically serious voice this time. "I'm sorry, okay."

Well this one was new, though her money was on it being disingenuous as usual.

"I don't really still have those pictures, and I didn't give them away, either." Aya looked oddly uncomfortable. It was weird. "I destroyed the film, and I'm sorry for taking them in the first place. You just looked so beautiful at that moment, and I couldn't resist. I'm really sorry."

"Well... you should be." Momiji shifted nervously. Aya was starting to weird her out. This wasn't like her.

"I just like to tease you, okay? You're embarrassed face if too cute, ya know? Obviously, I tend to go a little overboard like when I'm investigating a scoop or something."

"...O...obviously." Momiji didn't like this at all. What was going on?

"You don't like me, I get that," the crow continued. "That doesn't mean I have to like that fact, but I get it. I miss what it was like before all that, before I... before I messed up. That was nice, right?"

"I... guess."

"Can we just..." Aya sighed. "Can we just start over? I thought this would work, but it's not. I messed up. I shouldn't have teased you so much. I just... can't help myself around you. I just want to-"

"I'm... going back," Momiji hesitantly started with a raised eyebrow. This was too much. "I have to report on today's... events. I'm already late."

"No... wait... just," Aya sighed in defeat. "No, nevermind. Just... nevermind. You're right. I'm keeping you too long. You should go... I should go. I have... film to develop, I guess."

With that, Aya was gone. Though the crow was known as the fastest in Gensokyo, Momiji had never seen her leave so fast before, at least not when she had been pestering _her_. Perhaps there was something wrong. Maybe she was distracted by something. Maybe she was sick.

The white wolf shook her head abruptly. No, it didn't matter. Like she had said, she needed to get back and report on the gate guard. She really was late for her debriefing, after all. Aya... Aya's problems were of no concern to her. In fact, it would be better if she could just ignore her completely, especially if the crow continued to act like... that.

That was is. She would just ignore Aya from now on. It wasn't going to be easy, knowing Aya, but she was going to do it.

⑨

The Inubashiri household was home to many great traditions, not the least of which their dedication to the protection of all lands held by the Tengu. Additionally, the Inubashiri were equally dedicated to their own health and well-being. Their efforts in aspiration of that goal ranged from physical training on their days off to enjoying the best nutritional dishes they could create with what they could find on the mountain. While other Tengu enjoyed luxuries such as sake and extravagant feasts, the Inubashiri were committed to a life of moderation and alertness. Who else would protect the mountain if the Inubashiri somehow proved unfit for the task, after all. Though other clans had members who shared their occupation, none of them were as reliable as one of their own in their minds.

In light of the Inubashiri clan's disposition, it was especially odd to see the main household so active so late at night as it was on this day. Seemingly every lamp in the house had been lit, and heated voices could be heard well outside the Inubashiri lands.

If not for a local festival, the whole of the White Wolf Tengu would have been privy to the scheme being concocted.

"Brother," Momiji's eldest uncle, Michio,\ spoke up addressing the head of the clan, her father. "My apologies, first off, for requesting this meeting so late into the night. However, I feel this news is urgent."

The main hall of the head household was the source of it all. It was here where Momiji found herself, and it was here where she knelt half asleep at her father's side. She had been roused in the dead of night by her mother, and she was certainly feeling the effects now. The fools at central had kept her far too long with her report, asking meaningless questions. All that had been relevant, she had reported, but that had not stopped their senseless inquiries. Sleep had found her later than usual, and it wasn't long before it was lost to this accursed meeting.

Yes, she was irritable when sleep deprived, and it was fortunate that not many saw her in such a state.

She loved her two uncles dearly, but for their sake, whatever they needed to report had better prove of worth.

"It best prove so," Momiji's father spoke with his usual, booming voice. It was no wonder why her father had been chosen as the next head of the Inubashiri household. Though he lacked the skills her uncles possessed, he radiated a sort of presence about him. He employed this commanding aura that almost forced those around him to fall in line. Both Momiji and her younger sister were fortunate that he tended to dote on the both of him.

The main hall was large enough to fit the entire clan, but the importance of those present caused Momiji to feel as if the room was packed. Her father sat at the head of the table with her at his right and her younger sister at his left. Her mother, though every bit her father's equal in terms of skill, had relinquished herself to the more traditional role of serving tea to the room. Her younger sister was barely old enough to hold a sword, but even still, she was old enough to be considered necessary for these meetings. Her sister had also managed to fall asleep sitting up, Momiji noted, though she wasn't irritable enough to deny her own sister what she'd been denied herself.

At the right of table was Momiji's eldest uncle, accompanied by his wife and daughters. If her father was the commander, then her eldest uncle was his sword and shield. Michio had trained his body to be a powerhouse, ready to give his life for the Tengu cause at any time. Momiji had trained under him in her earlier years, and even though he preferred to fight weaponless, he was still skilled enough to impart the basics upon her. As a warrior, Momiji respected him almost as much as she did her father. As a person, however, Momiji was rapidly changing her opinion.

She was still rather bitter about being woken, after all.

Similarly, Momiji's youngest uncle, Yukio, sat at the left end of the table, though he sat alone. His wife and his two daughters all patrolled Tengu lands at night, as was per her father's suggestion. The head of the clan would not see the mountain without an Inubashiri guard at all times of the day. The younger uncle was not a warrior, she admitted. He was, however, skilled in reconnaissance. It was he who had helped her hone her senses, eventually molding them to come close to his own. She did not possess his natural skill with his wolven senses, but her mastery of both combat and reconnaissance set her apart in the eyes of others.

What was odd, however, was that there was a certain look in his eye now that mirrored the one in her other uncle's. They shared something, and it did not take long for Momiji to deduce that that something was information. Whatever had brought about this meeting, her two uncles had come to the same conclusion about it.

"Brother," the younger of the two spoke this time. "This may seem unthinkable, but just know that whatever we bring to you here today we have fully verified ourselves."

"As you know," the older one continued, "the Inubashiri have been the stalwart defenders of the Tengu for generations. We were the sword of the crow and the shield of the wolves for longer than we have even lived in these lands. Yet..."

"Yet," Yukio interrupted with a raised voice. "Yet we receive little respect from our peers, and even less from the crows!"

"If you begin to suggest that our noble cause no longer satisfies you both," Momiji's father growled, "then I suggest we end this meeting now. I will hear no such slander while I sit here as the head!"

"Far from it, brother," the younger one spoke in defense. "Nothing could satisfy us more. Nothing could be more noble, and nothing could be more worthy of the Inubashiri than this charge. It is just..."

"Certain... developments have been brought to our attention," the elder uncle stepped in. "Brother, if we could do something that would raise our clan's standing, we could then live by example and not merely in the shadows. We could show the rest of the wolves what it truly means to be a White Wolf Tengu."

Momiji blinked a few times to rid the sleep from her eyes. Standing? What were her uncles talking about. Did they not already lead by example? Was the respect the others of the Tengu guard showed them not proof enough?

"Continue," her father nodded, much to her surprise. She expected that he especially would share her sentiment.

"What if a crow were to wed a wolf?" One of her uncles, she wasn't sure which, brought up.

"Preposterous," her father dismissed. "Crows keep to crows, and wolves keep to wolves. Are you suggesting that we ask one of our daughters to seduce a crow? Are you to ask one of yours? Am I to ask one of mine?!"

"No, Brother," Yukio smirked. "I'm saying the unthinkable has happened."

"A crow," Michio finished, "has set their sights on a wolf."

Silence filled the room as Momiji's father looked from brother to brother, taking in the gravity of their assertion. After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke again.

"And I take it the reason for this disturbance is that the two of you believe that this crow of yours is interested in one of ours?" He questioned skeptically.

"We are certain of it, brother."

"This whole notion is ridiculous," the head scoffed. "Though I would be remiss if I did not at least hear you out. You deserve that much as my kin." He shook his head dismissively before continuing in a mocking tone. "Well, who is it, then? Is it your eldest? Your youngest? I'll have you know the joke has gone too far if you suggest it _my_ youngest."

"It is your eldest, brother," the older one explained in all seriousness. "It is Momiji."

The girl in question's eyes shot open at the statement, all traces of exhaustion leaving her in that instant. A crow? With her? That was ridiculous. She'd never even considered the notion of any sort of romance, let alone with someone who wasn't a wolf. A crow was just as alien to her as a human in that regard.

"You ask that we simply relinquish our greatest on some crow's whim?" Her father's eyes narrowed. "You've both trained her. You both know her potential, let alone everything she already is! You still sit there and suggest this?"

Any sort of pride she could feel at the moment was overshadowed by her own confusion. Were her uncles truly suggesting that she be married off to some random person?

"We do, because we know what this could mean."

"And what does it mean?" Her father yelled.

"That our status would raise," Yukio submitted. "Wolves are the servants of the crow, yet if one of our own has ties to a grow, their family's status among the other wolves rises. This is why there are so many wolves who degrades themselves by being mere servants to those crows that run some sort of publication. None of them have such a direct tie as this, though. If Momiji marries a crow, our clan would become the most respected amongst the wolves overnight."

"Lunacy."

"And in doing so... you would gain another chance to sire a son."

The silence returned. Her father stiffened in his seat while maintaining his glare.

"What do you mean?" He asked, voice shaking.

"Our father was fortunate," the younger one explained. "Such a thing... such a notion as birth restrictions had not even been thought of in his time. I would not even exist if they had! That we are only allowed two children is insane."

What was he-

"We have been blessed," the elder one interrupted. "Our wives are strong, and our daughters inherited that strength. Even still, of we three brothers, none of our wives have born sons. I am proud of Momiji. I am proud of all of our daughters. However, those of us here stand to be the last of the Inubashiri without a proper heir."

Oh... It was all because she'd been born a girl. She was the heiress, but not an heir. She wanted to yell. She wanted to scream, but it was not her place. She was next in line, but she was not at the head yet. In this meeting, her place was to kneel formally until spoken to. She didn't like it, but that was their way.

"Surely you've realized this as well, Brother?"

Her father closed his eyes in a deep grimace. There was a certain truth to what her uncles were saying, even she had to admit, and it looked like her father had been well aware.

"How could I not?" He sighed. "My clan is on the verge of death. How could I be in the least bit ignorant of that? The gods have deemed it, though. Who are we to question."

"But even gods allow for loopholes," Yukio grinned sinisterly. "That is what has brought us here today."

"Exactly how would marrying my daughter to a crow change anything? The restrictions are clear. We wolves are allowed two children per household, regardless of marriage."

"Yes, brother, the restrictions are clear," Yukio continued. "When two wolves are wed, the act does not exempt their parents from the restriction. Wolves, Brother. Wolves."

"You are splitting hairs."

"Hairs that must be split if our clan is to survive, Brother!" It was Michio this time, and the raw emotion behind his words was unnerving. Momiji had always thought him to be disciplined; to be logical. It seemed even her teacher in the art of combat could lose himself in desperation. "This is the only way!"

Again, Momiji's father was silent. He refused to look at either of his brothers, and when he chanced a glance at her, he quickly turned away in disgust. His reaction was not directed at her, though. It was at the fact that he was considering his brothers' proposal at all.

"Who is the crow."

That was a question that had been on Momiji's mind from the start. She'd expected that this topic would have been dismissed before the question could be asked, though. However, here they were, and the question had been asked.

"Shameimaru."

No...

"I know of them," her father shook his head. "Their family has but one son, and as I recall, he has already been wed. I will not give up my daughter to be a mistress."

"It isn't the son It's the daughter."

Aya... No, no, no, no, no... They had to be joking. Aya didn't... She couldn't...

"It's true that such a thing is not... uncommon... in these lands," her father sighed, "but to ask me to encourage my own daughter down that path... How can I?"

She had heard about Aya's... preferences, but she never thought it concerned her. Why did it now?

"For the good of the clan," her younger uncle stated solemnly. "We would not have brought this to you if we did not think it for the best."

"You... are certain that this Shameimaru can even look at a wolf in the way you suggest?"

"Brother," Yukio continued, "it is the worst kept secret of the crow's printing syndicate that oftentimes Miss Shameimaru will deliver pictures that do not go with any article that she had submitted for her publication. They are pictures of the one I am certain she desires; pictures of you daughter on Patrol. They are only ever of your daughter."

Aya, what have you been doing? What have you done?

"That is hardly enough to prove a genuine interest," her father contested. "At most it proves an obsession."

"You need no more proof than my ears, Brother," the younger one challenged before turning towards Momiji. "My apologies, but my ears could not ignore your interaction with Miss Shameimaru earlier this evening. I heard everything."

She'd been spoken to!

"She said nothing to indicate any interest," Momiji had to hold back from yelling. Her future was on the line. "By her own admission she simply enjoys teasing me."

"Child, I don't mean just what was said to you," her uncle shook his head. "She may boast to be the fastest in these lands, but even her speed can not hide her musings from my ears. She can not hide how she berates herself for angering you, nor can she hide the fact that she said she loved you in that moment of depression. She thought herself high enough to be alone, but one cannot escape my ears so easily."

Momiji's eyes widened in realization. It was true, her uncle possessed greater senses than she. However, it was still only his word and not actual proof.

"F-Forgive me, uncle," her voice shook. "I-I cannot be certain with your word alone. This is... too much."

"I understand child, but even you must have heard of her suitors."

"I knew of her orientation," she admitted, "and I knew that she was rather sought after by those that were similar. I just know that she's never accepted any of their offers."

"You need only ask any of the rejected and they will tell you why," her uncle explained. "Though Miss Shameimaru may not have the courage to tell you directly, she has no problem explaining her situation to those she turns down. Her reason is that she's already in love with someone else."

"You pry too much into crow business," her father grumbled. "You've played a dangerous game to get the insight that you have."

"I play this game because I have reason to, because I must. Hearing what you have, do you blame me? Do you hold me at fault for searching for any possible way to save our clan?"

Her father growled to himself before turning to his other brother's wife. "And what of you?" He questioned. "Surely you must have some opinion. If it were you my daughter, how would you prefer this dealt with?"

The wife, to her credit, looked the head of the clan dead in the eyes and sternly answered. "I would rather not be ordered to do anything against my will, sir. If I was not opposed to the prospect, however, nothing would bring me more honor than to be the reason for my clan's survival."

"I see..." Her father nodded before turning to face his eldest daughter, his face falling into a gentle, fatherly expression. "Momiji."

"Yes, father." She did her best to play the part of the formal heir in this situation, but truth be told, she was finding it difficult to sit straight. Everything... everything was falling down around her and was being replaced with such inconceivable notions. She'd never felt under as much pressure on patrol as she did now in the safety of her own home.

"Tell me of this Shameimaru."

Oh, she could tell him stories, but this was not the place. She had to be truthful, yet respectful when speaking both of and to a crow. If Aya were any other crow, Momiji could have been hauled off somewhere for speaking to her as she does regularly.

"She is... eccentric," she explained. "Though her publication is not held in high regard, her dedication to it is... admirable. She sometimes goes overboard with... a lot of things, but I don't think she's sincerely trying to wrong anyone." That was true only if Aya's actions earlier that day could be taken at face value. They could be, though, if anything said here was true, she admitted. "I don't believe she is a bad person."

"Would you..." her father hesitated. "Would you consider … Are you opposed to being with a woman?"

Momiji pitied her father at that moment. That was not a question any man wanted to ask their daughter.

"I have not considered it, father." Romance was never a priority. She was an Inubashiri. The mountain's protection was all that had mattered to her for her entire life up to that moment.

"Then," her father sat straight, and his face returned to the very image of the head of the clan, "If you can find it within yourself, I urge you to sincerely consider all that has been said here. Contemplate on this Shameimaru's feelings for you, as well as your own of her. If you find the least bit motivation to reciprocate her feelings, then it is as my brothers have said." He looked her dead in the eyes, and she understood. "You would be saving the clan."

Momiji understood; she understood exactly what he was saying. She thought he had been reluctant, but the way he looked at her... This had not been a request. That was a command as held of the Inubashiri clan. He was telling her to reciprocate Aya's feelings. He was just trying to fool everyone else. He'd made up his mind as to what was most important.

"I... understand."

This was her place and she had no right to disobey, even if it meant the end of her life as she knew it.

* * *

Momiji or Momizi. It doesn't matter to me. For the purpose of this fic, however, one had to win out.

I wanted to come at this particular pairing in a more serious manner. Certainly Remilia's ambitions towards Reimu in Scarlet can be devious, but there's still a light-hearted air about it. This story comes with a more formal setting, seeing Momiji trapped between what is expected of her as the current heir to the Inubashiri name and what she wants. Things will get worse for her, but they'll also get better. If I manage to actually finish this fic, it should prove to be a fun ride. As God as my witness, though, I'm going to make every effort to finish both this and Scarlet Ambitions.

Wish me luck.


	2. Chapter 2

The two uncles have both been given names and chapter one has been edited to reflect that. The older uncle is named Michio, meaning man with the strength of three thousand. The younger uncle is named Yukio, meaning he who gets what he wants. Originally I wasn't going to give them names as I initially anticipated their roles ending with chapter one. Sometimes stories write themselves. They remain minor characters in the grand scheme of things, but they're important enough to have names now.

Also, don't expect updates to come at such a rapid pace. As I said, sometimes stories write themselves.

* * *

**Chapter 2****: Yet Misfortune Remains**

A new day had dawned in Gensokyo, though Momiji had yet to give her proper farewells to the previous one.

Sleep had not come to the white wolf the night before, regardless of how much effort she put into finding it. Just as blissful unconsciousness had been within arms reach, something from the clan meeting never failed to enter her mind. Too many things had happened in that meeting, all of which still weighed heavily on her mind.

Though her body now found itself out on her daily patrol, her heart simply was not in it.

Unable to find the energy to traverse her usual route, Momiji instead sat on a tree branch near the center of Tengu territory, leaning against the trunk for support. If she was going to be of any use at all to the corps, she'd have to rely on her senses more than ever this day. If anyone dared intrude, she'd be able to sense them if she concentrated enough. The white wolf just prayed no one actually dated. She doubted she'd find the strength to move from her spot for a while yet.

For the first time in her life, she had seriously contemplated skipping work that day. Yet, such a thing would be improper for an Inubashiri, let alone the current heiress to her clan.

_'Heiress,'_ Momiji scoffed inwardly. She'd never truly thought about the meaning of the word. She supposed if something had ever happened to her father, the burden of leadership would have fallen on his chosen heir, her. Would the clan have flourished or dwindled under her guidance? Did she even have the capacity to lead?

_'Not that it matters anymore,'_ the white wolf almost laughed at her own cynicism. The title she held was nothing more than a temporary formality at this point. If her uncles' plan succeeded and she found herself married off to their choice crow, she'd technically no longer be an Inubashiri, as disgusting of a thought as that was. It did not matter if her parents bore a son or a daughter for their third child. She would no longer have any right or claim to her current title.

Losing her position as heiress was all but assured.

Momiji shook her head weakly, but even that seemed to take much more effort than it should have. Her attention to her surroundings was abysmal, she had to admit. It was shameful, and not like her at all. Her lack of energy was not a worthy excuse for a proud Inubashiri. However, despite knowing it, she could do little to change that fact as her physical and mental exhaustion was proving to be a more formidable opponent than even she could handle.

She just hoped the other wolves on patrol today, especially her uncle Michio, were able to pick up her slack . She could trust Michio to show the smallest hint of leniency towards her, at least. He owed her that much, and she was certain he knew. Even still...

It pained her to feel so useless.

"Well, isn't this a rare sight," the all too familiar voice of irritation personified spoke.

This was just her luck. As if she needed more proof of her unprofessionalism, she hadn't even noticed Aya approaching her.

"I'd take a picture, but..." Momiji looked up in time to see Aya make an awkward face. "Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned pictures around you yet. Not after... yeah," she finished with an awkward mumble.

Gods, she was too tired for this, but she was under orders. She'd have to at least try to be cordial.

"Good morning, Aya," Momiji yawned. "Sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to entertain you, today. I'm... preoccupied."

"Hm..." Aya landed on a nearby branch, mirroring Momiji's relaxed posture. "Rough night? I was about to head over to the Scarlet Devil Mansion for some investigative reporting, but it looked like you were about to fall. Just wanted to check up on you. Are you alright?"

"Tired," the wolf tried to fight back another yawn. She wondered why Aya was sitting the way she was. Leaning against the tree like that, she was facing away from her. Considering the way Aya had always acted around the wolf, actively trying not to be in her face was a rather odd choice for the crow to make. "My clan had a meeting late last night. I don't have much skill in going without sleep, ya know?"

"Can't say that I do," Aya laughed as she folded her arms lazily behind her head.

She was getting comfortable, Momiji noted from the sounds of the wiggling Tengu. _'Just great...'_

"All of us crows that have our own newspapers," she continued, "none of us really follow a set schedule. I sometimes run into Hatate in the middle of the night, then see her again the next day, as energetic as usual. She used to never leave her room, too. That one's come a long way."

"It must be nice," the white wolf grumbled. It was amazing how this crow could irritate her even when being perfectly civil. "Not having a set schedule, I mean. Still, I'm sure it's a necessity that you, in particular, don't. Running into Hatate likely throws off any theoretical schedule you'd have."

The rivalry between their two newspapers was well known to even her, though she imagined the rivalry was nothing more than a competition for second to last place. How either of the crows managed to snag even a single subscriber was beyond her.

"Hatate," Aya practically growled, which was an odd juxtaposition from the way she spoke her rival's name before. It seems steering the conversation in this direction had stirred up something. "You know, I didn't want to say anything since I'd hate to talk bad about someone when they're not here to defend themselves."

_'Then what is your newspaper?'_ Momiji rolled her eyes, somewhat thankful that Aya was facing away from her. Was the crow truly so oblivious, or was it just an act? Either way, it was irritating.

"It's just that ever since I-" Aya stopped short, making it obvious to the patrolwoman that she was fidgeting. "Ever since that one time, she's been extra hostile towards me, and even some of the other reporters. It's getting ridiculous. Mention my Bunbunmaru newspaper once, and she'll just start accusing me of stupid things." Aya crossed her arms and huffed in defiance. "I research my articles well enough, I'll have you know."

"It sounds like you just pissed her off," Momiji snickered. In truth, she felt a bit grateful towards Hatate and her competitiveness. On many occasions, the rival crow had shown up while Aya had been pestering her and driven the reporter away with her nagging. It was annoying to listen to while they were both going at it, truth be told, but it was a small price to pay to be rid of Aya earlier than usual.

"Yeah," the crow in question sighed. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Of course, everything Momiji felt towards Aya was reliant upon the crow possessing an insatiable desire to pester and annoy the wolf. This Aya... Today's Aya was acting... normal. Perhaps even timid.

It was weird.

"You're weird," she echoed her own thoughts.

"I'll take that as a compliment," the reporter laughed. "It's a step up from the things you've called me in the past."

"Sorry," she apologized, though she was only doing so for half the things she'd called Aya before. The crow still deserved the other half, she reasoned. "You just really irk me sometimes, though I suppose I should be thankful that it's you who does it."

"You must really be tired. You're thanking me for making you mad all the time."

"That's not what I meant," the white haired heiress yawned, "but I really am tired, I'll give you that. No, what I mean is that as a crow, you have every right to report me for the things I've said to you. We wolves are supposed to be at the beck and call of you crows. For one to address a crow the way I do you... it's unheard of. In that sense, I'm both fortunate and misfortunate that it's always you doing the pestering."

"Momiji," Aya spoke in an oddly serious voice, and Momiji could sense that she had shifted to face her. "I'll always be here to irritate you."

Though she was still exhausted, Momiji still managed enough strength to bring her palm to her forehead. It didn't help that all she could hear was that irritating laugh the reporter had.

"But seriously," Aya managed to get out after calming her own laughter, "I wouldn't report you, or turn you in, or call the super secret Crow Tengu Enforcer Squad to come get you."

Momiji was sure that last one was made up.

"Without a doubt, that would pretty much ruin any chance I had with... at salvaging this."

It was an odd feeling, knowing exactly what the reporter was trying to hide. Momiji still was not quite sure how to handle the knowledge, though. On one hand, she still hoped that her uncles were wrong, but on the other, their theory seemed to fit given the context.

At the very least, Aya seemed to genuinely want to be friends with her again. If she'd been asked yesterday, she'd have denied any such possibility. Perhaps it was her lack of sleep clouding her judgment, but the white wolf was beginning to consider the prospect quite seriously. Of course, the notion was entirely dependent on Aya's new attitude not turning out to merely be a temporary shift. She'd have to hold out until certain on that one.

She wasn't about to commit to anything with that danger still in play, regardless of how much her family urged her to do so. As such, she had no desire to discover if her uncles' theory was true or false at the moment. That information could wait. That could wait for as long as possible, as far as Momiji was concerned.

"So, you said you were planning to 'visit' the Scarlet Devil Mansion?" Momiji asked, deciding it best to change the subject to something less dangerous.

"Putting it in nice terms, yes," the crow laughed again. Did she really have to laugh like that? "Earlier in Spring, I got wind of something of particular interest. Unfortunately," she sighed, "the pictures I had printed were confiscated when I tried to question one of the suspects."

"No," Momiji gasped sarcastically. "Why would _anyone_ do such a thing?"

"I know, right?" Aya huffed indignantly. "It's amazing how many people try to get in the way of the Pure and Honest Aya Shameimaru's quest for truth. My readership has a right to know!"

Momiji just rolled her eyes. She was certain that Aya had picked up on her sarcasm, but was running with it regardless.

"What's worse, though, is that someone broke into my house and stole the film. I know exactly who did it, too. I have no proof, mind you, but from my own investigation," she began to boast proudly, "I can only conclude that the break in job was _elegantly_ executed."

That must have meant something to Aya, but Momiji wasn't quite sure who she was referring to. Being somewhat clueless about the other denizens of Gensokyo was the price she had to pay for spending nearly her entire life within Tengu territory. She'd only ever visited he Hakurei shrine on a handful of occasions, after all. The Inubashiri life didn't require much from outside their territory. No, Tengu territory _was_ all that they required.

"So why are you going back?" She questioned. The quest honestly sounded like more trouble than it was worth.

"There's been rumors of a new development." The white wolf could practically feel the crow's glee. "From what I've heard, I might get a chance to snap some even juicier photos than before."

"It's a miracle," Momiji yawned loudly, "that you're able to contain yourself sitting here with me without falling."

"I could say something similar about you," Aya observed, though her voice now lacked her previous jovial tone. "Are you okay? I was kidding before when I said you looked like you were about to fall out of the tree, but I think you're genuinely tired enough for it to happen."

"I'm tired."

"So you've said," the reporter was quick to interrupt. Momiji could feel Aya's eyes on her. "I honestly don't think you should be out here. Why don't I take you back to my house... or back to yours. Yours is better, I guess. You just need to get some sleep."

"I can't," though the white wolf's yawning was making her sound less and less convincing. "I'm on duty."

"This is duty?"

"No," she sighed, "but I can't leave my post. My family... I just can't do that."

"Hm..." Aya mused, making no effort to hide the fact that she was staring the wolf down, now. "You need a nap."

"You're repeating yourself."

"No, I mean take one."

Momiji managed to look over at the crow with a raised eyebrow, but was taken aback by the serious look in her eyes. It was eerie.

"I mean it."

"I don't doubt you," Momiji looked away, leaning back into the tree. "This ridiculousness is par for the course when concerning you."

"You can take one right here," Aya explained. "You can't leave your post, but you wouldn't be if you're still here."

"Sleeping on the job is equally out of the question."

"I demand it."

Momiji glanced at the crow again, this time quizzically.

"I'm a crow, and you're a wolf. You're at my beck and call. Take a nap."

"You aren't really telling me to do that," Momiji dismissed. "You hate all that crow and wolf hierarchy nonsense, remember."

"No one else knows that, though," the reporter smirked mischievously. "I'll stay with you. It would probably do me good to rest up before I inva... uh... investigate the Scarlet Devil Mansion, anyway. Trust me, if anyone shows up, I'll explain that the big bad crow ordered the innocent little wolf to take a nap so she could appease her perverted whims of watching the wolf's sleeping face."

"But you _are_ a pervert," Momiji chuckled, "and you probably _do_ want to see my sleeping face."

"I do," Aya didn't even hesitate, "but that's not why I'm doing this. Take a nap. You need it. You can go back to your patrol when you wake up. It's better than just sitting here like a dead lump."

The white wolf, the proud and honorable heiress of the Inubashiri name shook her head and sighed. "I must be more tired that even I'm aware of. I'm actually considering this."

"You should be. I wouldn't offer to postpone my investigation for just anyone's sake, you know."

The crow had a point...

"Alright. You win." Momiji snuggled as best as she could into the trunk of the tree and closed her eyes. "Despite me clearly being insane for deciding to trust you, see that you don't betray that trust this time."

"I won't," Aya spoke with deadly seriousness. "Not this time."

Momiji barely had the chance to ponder Aya's tone. The act of conversing with the crow had been the key to winning her battle with exhaustion. Now that her advantage had been eliminated, she was rapidly finding herself on the losing side. It was not long after her senses came back into focus and the smell of the tree coupled with the sound of the swaying leaves overwhelmed her that she raised the white flag.

Within mere moments, she was out.

⑨

Momiji awoke to the sound of something both rhythmic and almost soothing. It sounded similar to the noise a heavy cloth made when the wind rushed through it, though that notion seemed highly unlikely. The white wolf felt no such wind on her skin, nor did the leaves still sway as they did before she succumbed to sleep. Thus, the noise was deemed unnatural, and no matter how she wish she could ignore it and return to the blissfulness of sleep, she could not.

She'd indulged Aya's whims and rested for long enough. She had work to do, now.

It took her a few moments to fight off the last remnants of sleep and garner enough willpower to force her eyes open, but she was met with a rather peculiar sight when she finally managed to achieve her task. Floating just beyond the branch she had chosen as her makeshift bed, a green haired woman twirled in the air dressed in a heavy red dress with matching ribbons around her arms and throughout her hair.

This one was new. She'd seen this intruder at the foot of the mountain mainly, and she suspected that was where the girl took up residence. Momiji earnestly couldn't recall if this particular youkai had ever been reported as attempting to invade Tengu territory. Nevertheless, she was here now, but was she alone?

The white wolf glanced curiously to her side, but found no trace of the one she had expected. "Aya?" She called out worriedly. Had something happened to her?

"Your friend was gracious enough to leave you in my care," the youkai spoke, not bothering to halt her rotation.

Oh great. She'd been abandoned. Momiji sighed and shook her head in disappointment. Even Aya knew better than this.

"Though I must admit, it took an ample amount of persuasion on my part to convince her to leave. She seemed oddly protective of you."

So, Aya had to be convinced. That was at least a little more forgivable. Aya knew who was and was not allowed in their lands, so there must be a reason behind this youkai's presence. The girl didn't seem like a threat, at least for the moment. She'd question her a bit to buy herself time to fully wake up. She could deal with the intruder properly when the time came.

"So, you've just been looming over me... spinning... the entire time?" Now that she'd said it out loud, she realized just how creepy the situation was. She needed to hurry and regain her strength soon.

"It hasn't been that long," the youkai explained. "I'm not spinning very fast, so if I judge by how many time's I've spun, I'd say it's only been a little more than an hour since your friend left."

An hour, huh. Momiji squinted through the branches overhead attempting to spot the position of the sun. It had still been fairly early in the morning when Aya had appeared, and she didn't imagine their conversation had lasted too long. Now, the sun was at least a few hours past its peak. Had she really slept so much of the day away?

_'Wait,'_ the white wolf's eyes widened slightly in shock. This youkai claimed to have only been present for little over an hour. That meant...

_'Did Aya really stay with me for most of the day?'_

"Though, that's just a rough estimate," the green haired girl continued. "I was interrupted shortly after your friend left by a very grumbly man."

_'Fantastic,'_ Momiji grumbled inwardly. _'Let's alert the whole corps that I've been sleeping on the job. Let's file a formal report to the Council of Elder Wolves while we're at it!'_

"That man was even more troublesome to deal with than your friend," the youkai huffed. "he demanded that I stop spinning!"

Why _was_ she spinning?

"I had to explain to him on numerous occasions that I was spinning for your benefit and not for fun. He just wouldn't leave me alone until I told him exactly why I was here."

Her benefit? "Why... are you here, exactly?"

"Before that," the girl awkwardly pointed to a small pouch hanging from a smaller branch to the right of the wolf, all the while still spinning. "That grumbly man brought that for you. From what I can gather, you've slept through lunch and that man forced me to promise that I'd make sure you ate something."

The patrolwoman reached over to the pouch the youkai had pointed out and reached in to reveal a pair of rice balls. Now that she thought about it, she had missed lunch and she felt rather hungry all of a sudden. Perhaps she'd indulge herself. Besides, Momiji was beginning to get a grasp on who this "grumbly man" was, which was why she felt safe enough to eat something an intruder had pointed out to her. Regardless, there was really no need to fear. She'd be able to sniff out any tampering with her keen nose due to her training.

As for the matter of the sender of the cuisine she could now enjoy, her uncle Michio fit the bill of the "grumbly man" quite well, and he was the only other Inubashiri on patrol today. In addition, the pouch boasted the maple leaf crest of her family, so there was little suspicion if her theory was true or not.

Yet something still bothered her. Her uncle was a proud member of the Tengu Patrol Corps, and this youkai was clearly an intruder. It was his duty to drive out these very kinds of intruders, yet he had made a special exception for this one. Her previous question she had voiced was still relevant.

"Very well. I'll eat." She took a bite out of the rice ball to prove the point to the green haired girl. "However, I'll need an explanation from you while I do so. My apologies in advance if explaining the same thing a third time is not to your taste."

"It's not a problem," The youkai smiled broadly. "I came here because of you, after all. It's only natural that you be informed of my intentions."

"Could you... stop spinning, please?" Trying to eat while watching the twirling youkai was making her nauseous.

"Everyone keeps asking me that," the green haired girl huffed. "I'm doing it for your benefit. I'm trying to determine just how much misfortune you've collected."

"Misfortune?" Come to think of it, she'd head of some sort of god in Gensokyo that dealt with such a thing.

"My apologies," the girl curtsied as she spun. "My name is Hina Kagiyama, and I am... well, I suppose I'm a curse goddess."

_'A goddess?'_ Momiji raised an eyebrow quizzically as she looked over the girl in question.

Was she supposed to bow? The two goddesses living at the peak of the mountain demanded things of that nature when they first appeared, though this girl didn't seem as pushy. No, this one seemed rather normal... as far as people who spun constantly were concerned, that was. She supposed it would be alright to continue acting like she had been around this goddess, and at the moment, that entailed being rather indignant.

"Sorry," Momiji rolled her eyes, "but I don't think I need any curses at the moment. Given the past twenty-four hours, I feel like I've hit my quota for a lifetime."

"Quite right," the goddess nodded, much to the white wolf's surprise. "Just yesterday, I only sensed a nominal amount of misfortune coming from this side of the mountain. That amount has drastically increased overnight." Suddenly, Hina stopped spinning, her hair and dress following suit a few seconds after. The goddess now looked Momiji straight in the eye. "Every bit of that increase is emanating from you right now."

That seemed... well, that seemed likely.

"I guess you could say I had a bad night," the patrolwoman tried to make light of it. It was starting to sink in that this girl really did have powers involving misfortune as she claimed to. The fact that her duties as a deity involved her was somewhat unnerving.

"It seems much more than that," the green haired girl said as she began spinning again. "Though I understand if you feel the need to keep the specific details from me. I only deal with misfortune, not necessarily the reasons for its existence."

"And how exactly do you 'deal' with misfortune?"

"I absorb it," the goddess said plainly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "As a curse goddess, it's my job to absorb the misfortune of humans and redistribute what I collect to the other gods and goddesses. You see, humans naturally generate more misfortune than they can deal with. If left unchecked, they can be driven to do something drastic to rid themselves of their burden... permanently."

Oh...

"We deities, however, are much better suited to handle greater amounts of misfortune than we generate naturally. You see, it's my job to transfer from those who cannot tolerate it to those that can."

Had this goddess explained all this to Aya and her uncle? Was she here to alleviate her of her own misfortune? Was that why she was being given special privilege to move about their lands as she pleased? That was... somewhat sweet of them, though absolutely unprofessional in Michio's case.

Wait...

"Human," Momiji repeated the word, noting the distinction in the goddess's explanation. "I'm not exactly human, Miss Kagiyama."

"Yes," Hina stopped spinning to look at the wolf again. "That's why I'm spinning." As such, she continued doing so. "I'm meant to serve humans, not youkai. This is... difficult."

"How so?"

"Humans are simple creatures. It's inherently easy to manipulate them if a god so desired. Though, most gods that deal with humans directly are after their faith. Faith derived from manipulation is meaningless, so it's very rare that such a thing happens."

Momiji had wondered why the two goddesses of the Moriya shrine hadn't simply forced the Tengu to believe in them if they were so powerful. Apparently it would have amounted to a hollow victory for them if they had tried.

"Youkai, however," the green haired girl continued, "are far more complex than humans. Regardless of any aesthetic similarities we may have with them, our inner, spiritual workings are completely different." She stopped spinning again. "Truth be told, I don't have much experience working with other youkai. I'm proficient at my job when it comes to humans, but I'm not sure how beneficial this attempt will be for you."

"Forgive me," Momiji offered a skeptical apology, "but it sounds like I'd be better off if we set this aside for now."

"Nonsense," Hina gasped, stopping her rotation once more. "It's not like I can make things worse for you by trying. It is not within my bonds to give misfortune to anyone other than a god or goddess. I would only be able to take it from you. Now," she sighed in exasperation as she began to spin again, "please cease from drawing such reaction from me. I can't concentrate if I'm not spinning."

"You're not going to give me a choice in this, are you?"

"Nope," the goddess smiled, though Momiji sensed a fierce determination behind that expression.

_'Well,'_ the white wolf mused, _'I suppose it couldn't hurt. Disregarding Aya's intentions, uncle Michio had agreed to it, at least...'_ Though, such a statement wasn't as encouraging considered what her uncle had convinced her father to go along with the night before. Still... if it made things even a little better, wouldn't it prove a worthwhile endeavor?

"So, should I get up, or-"

"No," Hina was quick to interrupt. "You are fine where you are. It's better if you're comfortable and perfectly still. Now that I have your consent, I'd prefer it if you fell back asleep, but I doubt I could convince you to do so if you have any relation to that grumbly man at all."

"No, you couldn't," Momiji almost laughed, "and I do."

"In that case," she spoke as some sort of aura began to encompass the goddess, "do try to be still. I think I've managed to locate a portion of your misfortune that I can remove." Her rotations began to grow faster and faster until she was nothing but a blur of red and green to even Momiji's eyes. "This should only take a moment!"

"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" She suddenly wished she hadn't agreed to this after all.

"It shouldn't," the goddess yelled back over the sounds of her spinning. "At least it doesn't for humans..." She had whispered that last part.

"What?" Momiji desperately hoped he had heard wrong.

"Nothing! Just hold still!"

Suddenly, a powerful sensation overwhelmed her as the aura Hina was emitting seemed to be sucking a similar glow out from within the wolf's very being. Momiji clenched her eyes shut and gripped the branch of the tree roughly. The sensation overpowering her senses was neither pain nor pleasure, but it was not welcome all the same. The only word she could use to describe it was "weird."

It was as if she were experiencing her clan meeting all over again, but this time in reverse. Her mood was shifting rapidly from confusion to anger, from irritation to exhaustion, and from curiosity to pride. It was unbearable. She couldn't possibly take another moment of-

"Done!"

Huh?

"Look at this," the goddess was practically bubbling.

Momiji cautiously opened one eye before letting out a relieved sigh and opening her eyes fully. The goddess in red bore a toothy grin as she held a large glowing orb in her hands.

"That's misfortune?"

"Sort of," Hina paused briefly. "Curses and Misfortune aren't tangible. They exist, but you can't naturally see or touch them. To collect and handle misfortune like this, I have to coat it with a portion of my power. It also helps to contain it, otherwise it would just go back into you after I pulled it out."

"Weird," Momiji looked at her hands introspectively. "I feel... refreshed."

"A nap and a good meal will do that," Hina grinned. "If you're looking for some physical signs that this has worked, I'm going to have to disappoint you. Your experiences and actions dictate how you physically feel. Misfortune only alters what experiences you stumble upon."

"So, that's it?" The wolf asked hopefully. "That's all of it?" Oh gods, she hoped that was all of it. She didn't want to experience that again.

"Oh, not even close," the goddess laughed, managing only to catch herself a few seconds too late. "Sorry, but you're better off not knowing exactly how much misfortune you've gathered. I managed to get from you a little more than I get from a human who's really bad off. The fact that you still have more is troubling, but you're a youkai, so you should be able to handle it."

"Great. This was pointless," Momiji grumbled as she pulled herself up to her feet. If she was going to be disappointed, she'd rather do so on her feet. Now that the goddess's business was completed, it was Momiji's turn to do her job.

"Not pointless," Hina protested. "Things may not turn out as they should, but they will be closer to it than before. Besides, now that you are aware of your misfortune, you can better stand against it. Misfortune can only grow if you allow it to control your emotions."

"So, what would you suggest."

Suddenly, the goddess clutched Momiji's shoulders tightly, staring at her in all seriousness. "No matter what happens, try to make the best of it. Things might not work out the way you want, but if you find a way to enjoy yourself, you can turn misfortune into fortune."

"That's," the heiress brushed her hands aside, "awfully positive for a curse goddess."

"My motivational speeches need work, don't they?"

"It doesn't matter," the wolf shrugged. "All that matters is that you listen to what I have to say, now."

"What's that?"

She mirrored the goddess's earlier seriousness.

"Leave."

"...You're not a very appreciative youkai, are you?"

"Sorry," Momiji chucked. Perhaps this goddess had done something after all. Today had been a fairly good day so far, and she had quite enjoyed the goddess's reaction just then. She felt oddly happy. "It's just my job. You met my uncle before. His job is the same. We are to drive out all intruders who dare enter Tengu lands. As of right now, you're an uninvited guest, and my job is to address that."

"Drive out..." The green haired girl fidgeted in the air. "Um... you left your sword... at the base of the tree, and... I can spin away pretty fast, so-"

"Don't worry," Momiji waved off. "I just meant that I'll have to escort you off of the premises. You've already proven that you mean the Tengu no harm, but the rules are still in place. Besides, I need to make sure none of the other wolves try to attack you on your way out."

"Oh, that won't be a problem. I came here just fine."

That... actually was a problem. "How exactly did you manage that?"

"Simple," she grinned as she held up the glowing orb with pride. "Everyone has at least a small bit of misfortune in them, and as a curse goddess, I can sense it. It was rather simple to evade the other sources of misfortune until I reached you. They were of no concern to me at all."

Yeah, that was a problem. She was another one that needed to be reported on when her shift ended. It was a good thing, too. She was worried that her nap was going to have her finish her shift empty handed.

"Even still, it's my job to see you out." Not waiting for a reply, Momiji leaped from the tree landing on the soft ground below. She turned to look up at the goddess with an outstretched hand. "Shall we go?"

Hina sighed in defeat, relinquishing herself to the fact that having infiltrated Tengu territory would prove to have been a much simpler matter than getting out.

"If you insist."

⑨

Momiji silently leaped from tree to tree, sniffing the air as she flew. There was something unnatural about the scent of this side of the mountain, but she just couldn't determine what. She could clearly sense the usual fragrance of the trees and wildlife, but there was something else there. It was something behind everything else, almost if it were an object just out of reach.

The white wolf cringed, covering her eyes to shield them from the setting sun as it breached the overhead treeline. She was going to miss out on her routine again, but that was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She needed to make up for lost time. Her nap was behind her, now, and she now felt the urge to do what she was meant to.

She needed to hunt.

Something out of the corner of her eye drew her attention, yet nothing but the wind remained when she turned to look. It was almost as if whatever was there had been invisible to begin with, but...

Momiji chuckled to herself as the pieces finally fell into place in her mind. Instantly, she jumped from her perch and began to give chase to the phantom vision. This was going to be fun.

Once she had realized that the scent and the vision were connected, it was a simple task to funnel her determination into homing in on the unnatural scent. It didn't matter if she couldn't see the source at the moment. As long as she could track the scent, she could chase it.

_'The longer this goes on,'_ Momiji thought to herself with a smirk, _'the more likely you are to make a mistake. You always do in the end.'_

This particular intruder was a special case. In many instances, there was no need for her to even intrude onto Tengu lands. She was invited more times than not by the crows. Always by the crows, though... always when they needed something fixed.

The white wolf sprinted around a tree, earning an audible gasp from the seemingly nothingness in the clearing beyond. Momiji allowed a fanged grin to spread across her lips as her eyes darted around the clearing. She was here. The intruder had stopped running, likely hoping that Momiji would pass over her. However, this particular intruder was easily frightened, so all the patrolwoman had to do was show herself to force the invisible girl to reveal herself.

Now that she had the intruder cornered, all she had to do catch her.

This was honestly Momiji's favorite part of their little game. Though it now resembled a child's game of hide and seek, the rules had been altered over time. Each time she found herself in this situation, she had to admit the intruder always found a new way to negate her advanced white wolf senses, making her all the more difficult to catch.

She loved the challenge, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Momiji began taking slow, calculated steps into the clearing, concentrating to see if she could pick up and sounds or smells that would help her pinpoint the intruder's exact position. Her eyes would be useless for this hunt. Their game had already advanced well beyond that stage, and from the smell of things, the intruder had been working on a way of advancing their game past smell as well.

It was fortunate for Momiji, then, that whatever the intruder was using to mask her scent was still in development. Though Momiji could no longer smell the intruder's usual scent, there was still a scent there. It was like smelling nothing at all, but that was the scent's major failure.

Nothingness was an unnatural scent to Momiji. Everything on the mountain had its own unique scent. Nothing smelled like nothing.

Without warning, leaped forward, grasping at the air wildly. Just as she was about to hit the ground, her arms snaked around an invisible leg.

"Uah!" The disembodied voice cried out in shock. Momiji felt the intruder trying to forcibly wiggle her leg from the wolf's grip, but Momiji held firm. In moments, the voice cried out once more, but this time it was followed by a loud thud as the intruder lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Momiji rose to her knees and looked down at her prisoner with pride. At some point during the struggle, the intruder's camouflage had been shut off, revealing her obvious identity, Nitori Kawasiro.

"Oh no," the kappa rolled over and whimpered. "I fell on it."

"Your Optical Camouflage?"

"No!" Nitori sat up and glared at the wolf before holding up her broken treasure. "My dinner!"

Momiji shook her head and sighed, pitying the poor kappa. She was clutching a cucumber, broken in half and now covered in dirt.

"I wanted to stay out here a bit longer, too."

"Sorry," the wolf shrugged. "You know I can't resist a good chase."

"Sheesh," Nitori grumbled, glaring at her attacker. "You just had to wake up, didn't you."

Momiji narrowed her eyes at the kappa. "Just how long have you been out here?" Any why didn't the other wolves notice her?

"The whole time!" Nitori jumped to her feet and puffed out her chest in pride. "I even managed to snag one of those rice balls from that muscle-head uncle of yours. My Optical Camouflage v1.97 is nearing its final test runs!" She looked down at her captor and frowned. "Obviously it's not ready for 2.0 yet if you can catch me."

"You upgraded?" Momiji questioned as she rose to her feet. She needed to be ready if Nitori decided to dash away and start round two of their game. It wouldn't be the first time she had done so on a whim. "I take it masking your scent is part of it, now."

"Yep!" The cucumber-loving girl boasted. "With 96.7% accuracy, the latest in kappa technology can negate the smell of even the most egregious offenders. Not that I need that kind of strength for myself, of course. I just won't be satisfied until I hit that 100% mark."

"Naturally," the wolf nodded along. "But you know I'm going to have to report this, right."

"Can you?" Nitori had almost jumped with glee as she leaned towards Momiji pleadingly. "Once I perfect this, I'm going to need a lot more variables for my field trial. You guys were instrumental in the perfection of my Optical Camouflage v1.0, so I hope I can count on you guys again."

"We're not here for your benefit," Momiji practically growled. She could remember a time when the kappas would keep to the river away from the mountain. Most still do, but after the Hakurei miko and the witch had all but rushed through Tengu lands unscathed, this particular kappa had taken to pushing her luck. "Do you even have business with the crows today, or are you just breaking our rules for fun?"

"Not for fun; for research!" Nitori was quick to point out the distinction. "But I do have business with the crows. I told them I'd come take a look at one of their printing machines today. Apparently it's only printing every other line, now. They should just let me upgrade it and be done with it!"

"You have business with the crows then?"

"That's what I said."

"And how long have you been out here?"

"The whole ti-" The kappa stopped short upon noting the wolf's eyes falling into a glare. "I mean... not long. I just got here. Really!"

"I'm sure," Momiji snickered. She loved her job, and times like these only emphasized that fact. After all, where else could she spend her days fighting intruders one day and teasing kappa the next. She wouldn't trade it for the world.

"But you know," the wolf continued with a smirk, "if you truly do have business with the crow, I would be remiss to ignore you. As a member of the Tengu Patrol Corps, it's my duty to both drive out intruders and to ensure the safety of our guests. Perhaps it would be best if I escorted you to central personally."

"That's... not necessary," the kappa laughed nervously, trying to back away from the wolf slowly. "I... know the way. Besides, you all do such good work in the Patrol Corps. I won't be put in the least bit of danger on my way there."

"Nonsense," Momiji smirked evilly as she grasped the kappa's arm tightly. "As an Inubashiri, I can't ignore my duty like that. I have to make sure you get to central as soon as possible," she allowed her expression to fall into one of deadly seriousness, "and nowhere else."

"Crap," the kappa muttered under her breath. "No more tests today, then."

"Nope."

Momiji simply smiled, dragging the kappa forward with her. Perhaps it was a good thing that she'd never get the chance to inherit leadership of her clan. She was beginning to realize that she loved being in charge a little too much.

⑨

Something wasn't right, Momiji noted as she strode through the Patrol Corps headquarters. There were too many wolves here for this time of night. Each wolf in the Corps had a staggered patrol shift with the other members, so no shift ended exactly when another did. As such, members of the corps were entering and leaving headquarters at all hours of the day. No one stood idly in central for long.

There were several dozen wolves standing idly now.

She recognized most of them, and she knew that a handful of them had shifts that ended hours ago. Something had happened here, and it was big.

Regardless, it didn't matter to her. It was none of her business. Whatever it was, she'd learn about it sooner or later if it were important. All that mattered was that she finished her debriefing, went home, and got reacquainted with her futon.

Napping on the job was not going to become a habit if she could help it.

"Inubashiri," a booming voice called out from behind her.

Momiji turned to meet the voice head on, though she instinctively tensed and gave a formal salute to the owner upon doing so. "Captain!"

"At ease, Inubashiri," the man waved her off with a grin. "It's good to see you awake."

"T-That's-"

"I know, I know," he laughed. "I was the one to debrief your uncle earlier. To think that Shameimaru would demand such a thing of you. I've always heard that one was quite the oddball, but I never thought she'd stoop to interfering with corps business. I'll file a formal complaint to her family for you, if you don't mind."

Her uncle... So he hadn't just delivered a meal to her. He'd been listening in on her conversation with Aya that morning as well. In her heart, she knew his reasons were only the survival of the clan, but even still, spying on her was going overboard. She'd have to ask her family to leave her be... when she found the courage, of course. Convincing her father of such a thing would be a feat in itself.

"That's alright, sir," she dismissed her captain's offer. "Miss Shameimaru is well aware of my feelings on the matter." She was still rather appreciative of the gesture, in truth. "Besides, I don't believe a complaint, formal or otherwise, would convince her to act any different."

"You have prior experience with her, then?"

"Yes, sir," she sighed. "More than I'd like, to be honest."

"Perhaps we should continue to the debriefing room, then," the captain laughed again. He'd always been so jovial, and a breath of fresh air from having to deal with her overly serious family. "We wouldn't want you to be found guilty of the public slander of a crow, now, would we?"

"No, sir," even Momiji had to laugh. His attitude was infectious.

The two wolves found themselves in the captain's private office, which was quite different than she was used to. Though she'd spoken with the captain on numerous occasions during her career, she'd never had the pleasure of visiting the captain in his office before. Though it felt odd and somewhat out of place, Momiji tried to pay it no more mind than that. For the most part, she was glad to be rid of the crowd at the entrance, especially since it seemed as if some of them had followed the two of them for most of the trek.

"Please," the captain motioned towards a wooden chair opposing his own, "have a seat."

Chairs were not something Momiji was used to. Her family was rather traditional. Everything they did that required a table was done so kneeling. Hew own family's tables were all much lower to the ground as well. As a wolf, it was much easier to relax when closer to nature. In this chair, however, she felt constrained and the table in the center of the room felt looming and ominous.

She didn't like it here, but she couldn't very well voice that opinion.

"Thank you," she smiled weakly, trying to shove aside her anxiety.

"I've heard reports," the captain spoke, having seated himself, "that you escorted a woman in a red dress to the border. Numerous reports, all saying the same thing, but none of them could tell us exactly how that woman managed to get to the very heart of our territory. Now, I'm hoping you can shed some light on that fact."

"She is a Curse Goddess, sir," Momiji didn't hesitate.

"A Goddess," the captain mused. "I suppose that's why she was able to to it, then."

"Now quite, sir," Momiji explained. "Her ability allows her to sense the misfortune of others. From what she's told me, she is able to sense the location of every wolf on patrol at any given time."

"That is... a dangerous ability."

"I thought so as well, sir. I recommend the border more heavily patrolled in the future, sir."

"Agreed," the captain nodded. "Do you know why this goddess suddenly appeared?"

"She claims it was because of me, sir."

"How so?"

Momiji let out a soft sigh. It wasn't as if she thought she could avoid reporting this, but it was still somewhat embarrassing looking back on.

"Apparently she was attracted to my misfortune, sir."

"Misfortune," the captain's brow furrowed, and Momiji could swear his eyes grew more distant. "Explain."

"She has the ability to remove various amounts of misfortune from others. She claimed," she forced a laugh, trying to play it off as nothing of importance. "She claimed I had too much for my own good."

"I see." The captain's brow furrowed further. Momiji could only barely hear him mumble his next words. "I wish she had come sooner."

"Sir?"

"Nothing," the captain shook his head before daring to look at Momiji again. "I'll see what I can do about preventative measure for other situations like this. Please, continue, or was she the only disturbance.

She had not been, in fact. After having escorted the goddess to the border, she had prevented a group of three fairies from attempting to sneak in. They had been harmless, of course, so the only thing of note to discuss was the kappa.

"Nitori-"

"Again?" The captain let out a loud sigh. "How many times is it, now?"

"Too many, sir. She's becoming a serious issue, though. Her camouflage has reached the stage when it can begin to mask her scent, and it won't be long until she perfects that technology."

"And the crows continue to give her passage," the captain grumbled. "They're allowing her to test what could be their own demise."

"I wouldn't go that far, sir." That was a bit extreme. "As long as Nitori keeps the technology to herself, I believe her to only continue with her usual, minor infractions."

"That's if she keeps it to herself," the captain frowned. "There's always the possibility that someone takes it from her by force."

"Perhaps I should be on the lookout for her in the future," Momiji offered. "When I find her, I could bring her here. Nitori is reasonable enough... if persuaded. I'm sure she and the corps can come to a mutual agreement."

"The future..." Again, the captain's eyes grew distant, and Momiji could no longer keep silent.

"Sir," she began tentatively, "is there something wrong."

"Yes," the captain sighed heavily. "I have a reputation, Inubashiri. I'm sure you've heard of it. There's a certain human saying that others say fits me quite well. I am one to wear my heart on my sleeve. When I'm proud, my chest swells. When I'm happy, I laugh. When I'm angry, I yell. When I'm disappointed," he sighed again, slouching back in his chair, "I can barely function."

"Is this about-"

"No," he shot up and waved her off. "I've already told you I understand. Everyone understands. I'll make sure your record has no blemishes because of it. You've been nothing but perfect from the first day you started all the way until... the end."

The end? "What's going on, sir?"

"We are a purely White Wolf force, Inubashiri. As such, we answer to only two factions. The crows are obvious. You've dealt with how they can be today. The other, however, would be the Council of Elder Wolves." The man was practically growling by the time he mentioned the council.

"Did the council do something?"

"I'm sorry, Momiji," the captain clenched his fist. "I wanted to smile today. To honor everything you and your family had done, but I can't. Forgive me if I lose myself to this. I don't agree with their decision on this."

It sounded like he was... Oh no...

"In their infinite wisdom," he sarcastically spat, "the council has decided to... request your reassignment. This is to be your final day as a member of the corps."

"No," she shook her head in disbelief. This wasn't right. This couldn't be. She was an Inubashiri. The corps was all that mattered to her. It was what her clan lived for!

It wasn't long before her attitude matched her captain's. In anger, she shot to her feet and slammed her fists onto the table. "Why? This makes no sense! My family has been the core foundation of the corps since its inception. What possible reason would they have to demand something so... ludicrous?"

"Believe me, Momiji," the captain growled, setting aside all formality, "I had the very same question. When the grandson of the third elder arrived for duty, I was there to greet him, demanding these very answers."

"Then why?"

"Even he couldn't say for sure, but he mentioned something... odd." The captain's face contorted as if he were in pain... as if he were about to say something blasphemous. "According to him, the council was only to meet with one representative today."

Momiji's eyes narrowed and she bore a hole into her captain before asking in a venomous tone. "Who?"

"It was your uncle, Yukio."

Momiji felt her knees give, and she found herself falling back into the chair behind her. That was it, then. It was true. Yukio would do something like that, wouldn't he? He did do it. He wasn't satisfied with just signing her life away. He wanted to make sure she had nothing left. He wanted to make sure there was no hope left. It was over.

"Momiji..." The captain's voice was soft now, though she barely paid heed to it. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. "It is with a heavy heart that I must now honorably discharge you from service. Your contributions over the years will never be forgotten, and I hope you consider the corps your family, regardless of your membership status."

"What do I do, now?" She whispered meekly. All her life she'd trained for this position, and it was being taken from her by the decree of a council who she'd never met. That goddess had been right. She was cursed.

"I don't know," the captain spoke solemnly in reply. "The council did not inform us of anything beyond what I've relayed to you. If they have issued any decree on the matter, it likely would have been delivered to your family." He growled again. "Yukio would know."

Yukio...

Momiji laughed.

Yes, Yukio would know.

Slowly, Momiji rose, a crazed glimmer growing in her eyes.

"What will you do now?" Her former captain asked, though she supposed she no longer had any obligation to answer him. Still, she did so anyway.

"Isn't it obvious," she practically cackled. "I'm going home."

With that, she turned and stormed out of the room... only to be met by the horde of wolves she had noticed at the front gate. Before she could even raise an eyebrow, the crowd began to applaud.

It seemed news traveled fast, especially in the company of wolves. They had all stuck around, some well beyond the end of their shifts, to see her off. They were here to see her off with a smile.

But that was irrelevant, Momiji shrugged the crowd off as she pushed through them. Their smiles... their appreciation... their applause was meaningless to her now. Her mind was set on one thing and one thing alone.

She was going to see her uncle.

⑨

Momiji practically ripped off the sliding door to her younger uncle's house as she stormed inside. The journey home had done nothing to satiate her anger. Instead, it had only served to strengthen it. Other wolves on patrol had attempted to stop her, wanting to give their thanks and other worthless pleasantries, but she merely ignored them.

They'd likely talk about her in the future. There would likely be rumors due to her demeanor, but Momiji couldn't be bothered with her own reputation this night.

She needed answers, and she'd damn well get them.

"Yukio!" Momiji howled in fury. "Where are you?"

"M-Momiji" a timid voice rang beside her, drawing the girl's ire. It was one of Yukio's daughters, her cousin slightly older than her sister, currently kneeling at the foot of the table in the main room. This girl had always been quiet, never quite cut out to carry the legacy of her name but still strove to nonetheless. She was easily frightened, and that was more evident now more than ever.

"Where is he," Momiji demanded, not caring how scared she was making her cousin. It didn't matter who she had to yell at and make demands from. She'd get what she came here for.

"I'm here, niece."

Momiji didn't bother to wait until her uncle had fully entered the room. In a frenzy, she pounced on him, dragging him into the room and shoving him forcibly into the closest wall she could find. Though she had to fly to reach his full height, she was dead set on making sure her uncle knew that he wasn't allowed to leave until she was satisfied.

"Father!" Her cousin shouted, though Momiji didn't bother to avert her gaze to look. Instead, her uncle took the liberty.

"It's fine, daughter," he gazed over his niece's shoulder and gave a fake smile. "We've just had a small disagreement. Why don't you go see if your mother could use some help in the kitchen, hm?"

There was a hesitation before the girl spoke again. "Y-Yes, father." Momiji's ears barely registered the sound of her cousin's footsteps as she exited the room. When she was certain that she was alone, she emphasized her glare with a feral growl.

"You... had... no... right... to-"

"Unhand me," her uncle matched her growl. With strength she had not been aware the reconnaissance expert possessed, her uncle shoved Momiji back, freeing himself from her grip. The sheer force of the act had caught the former patrolwoman off guard, and she barely managed to land on the table behind her without falling backwards. Though, her uncle was less than pleased with that outcome. "And get off my table. Your feet are filthy."

Reluctantly, Momiji did as her uncle asked, though she made a point to not let up on her glare. She matched her uncle's movements as she knelt at the foot of the table while Yukio knelt at the head. It seemed as if her uncle wanted to treat this as some sort of formal meeting.

She would not oblige. She'd been forced to hold her tongue the previous night, but the same would not be said of this one. This time, she would speak her mind.

"You should know your place while in my ho-"

"I have no place," Momiji spat. "Thanks to you."

"Moaning like a newborn pup dishonors your service," Yukio brushed off, "as well as this family."

"Forgive me," she laughed, "but I would think that filling the council's ears with sweet nothings just to get your way would be more dishonorable to this family. I can't say for certain of your upbringing, but mine made it clear that such a thing was not the Inubashiri way."

"And what is the Inubashiri way?" Her uncle challenged. "Is it to live for the fight that no longer comes like my brother Michio? Is it to simply live life as a member of the corps without question like your mother? Or is it to lead our clan to their eventual demise with a whimper like your father?"

"Speak ill of father again and he will hear of it."

"So you choose to cry to your father until you get your way?" Yukio rolled his eyes and laughed. "I thought that such cowardice was unbecoming of an Inubashiri, according to you." He shook his head in disappointment. "Unlike the rest of you, I seem to be the only one willing to protect these lands," his eyes narrowed before continuing, "by any means necessary."

"Protect?" Her mouth nearly hung open in disbelief. "You think removing me from my position the best way to protect our lands?"

"Surely you were aware that certain sacrifices were necessary for the good of the clan," her uncle challenged. "Surely you had prepared yourself after being ordered by your father to all but strip yourself of the Inubashiri name."

"Father only requested-"

"Oh, niece," Yukio shook his head again. "You and I both know that wasn't a request. You think yourself the only one who can see through him? He is my brother. I say with all certainty that I know him better than you."

"You're mad," Momiji balled her fists in anger. "That the council would even listen to you is ludicrous. What could you have possibly enticed them with to have them go along with this?"

"Integration!" Her uncle let out a crazed laugh. "Though they are fools to think such a thing were possible."

"Integration?"

"Yes," he hissed. "I informed the council of our plans for Miss Shameimaru. The fools were all too eager to do whatever I requested after that." He pointed at Momiji with a smirk. "You are their hope, though a false one. In their old age, they have forgotten how to be the proud wolves they once were. Instead, they yearn to sprout wings and call themselves crows. The prospect of one of their own joining the family of a crow was too much for them to resist. Their one hope is for you to become the beacon of a new era."

Integration... that was a strange notion. Her entire life had been experienced through the lens of wolves and crows. To think that there was a possibility that such titles could be abolished was... well, it was unthinkable, regardless of how admiral the notion was.

"And you don't share their opinion?"

"Of course not!" Yukio cringed with indignation. "I am well aware that Miss Shameimaru is an exception to the standards of the crow. The true madness here is that the council believes this event to be more than a unique occurrence. This notion begins and ends with you, dear niece."

"I'm flattered," she stated with sarcastic dryness.

"You should be," he said, disregarding her tone. "Integration would only lead to the wolves losing ourselves to the ways of the crow. Nothing could be more disgraceful to lose our White Wolf pride."

"You hate the crow, don't you?"

"Perish the thought, niece!" Much to Momiji's surprise, Yukio looked genuinely offended at her assumption. "I speak only on the matter of pride. The crows take pride in their doings just as we do in ours. Though we are all Tengu, our ways are unique and should be celebrated as such. The pride of the crow is of the same importance as our own. I could not stand to honor the name of our clan if I had any ill will towards those we have sworn to protect. I simply want more for our family. Do you not?"

In truth, she did not know. This entire situation was about the possible salvation of the Inubashiri, but after all that had happened in the past two days, did she even care?

"I still don't understand," she spoke with a calm voice, now. There was far too much to think about for her to maintain her rage, but still more answers that needed to be sought first. "What good does it do to strip an Inubashiri of their rank and position. Whose benefit does it serve, the clan's or yours?"

"The clan's benefit, dear."

"That's... irrelevant, actually," Momiji brushed her claim aside. "Forget I asked that. The real question is why. This all seems counter-intuitive to what our clan stands for. Reassigning me to some unknown post outside the corps doesn't seem to serve your interest, let alone the clan's."

"Your new post is hardly unknown, niece," Yukio practically shuttered with glee. "I was the one who suggested it, after all."

"Then what is it!" Momiji screamed. "What can be so important that it justifies taking me away from the only position I could ever pride myself in having?"

"You are to be the assistant of a particular crow," He grinned with pride, more for his own ingenious designs than anything. "A crow that has fired every assistant that has volunteered to work for her, but I can assure you, dear niece, that same fate will not befall you. She wouldn't dare part with you."

Momiji gritted her teeth and glared daggers at her uncle. The name spoken next was unnecessary. There was only one crow she'd be misfortunate enough to get stuck with. She prayed silently that it wasn't true, but no deity answered her call that night.

"You will be the personal assistant of Miss Shameimaru of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper. You start tomorrow. I suggest you prepare."

Earlier, she had been foolish to think that the day's events were nothing less than pleasant. She had been wrong in that observation.

Today had been a Nightmare.

* * *

Note that although Aya was mentioning Scarlet in passing, Scarlet the story is still unfinished. The events of it have already occurred as of this fic, though. I'll never outright spoil the ending to it, but I might continue to vaguely describe events I plan to have happen in Scarlet over the course of this fic. Such instances will be few and far between, nevertheless.

**Fun Fact****:** Exactly 1 person from Russia has read chapter one at the time of posting this new chapter. You know who you are.


	3. Chapter 3

So I was halfway finished with this chapter when I realized it had already reached the length of chapter 2 and that finishing it would mean doubling the length. Upon further inspection, I decided that leaving this chapter off where I did would leave me with much more freedom for the next chapter, in which I can include what was cut from this one. The only drawback is that the first half of this chapter is narration-heavy, which I intended to offset with the dialogue-heavy portions I cut.

* * *

**Chapter 3****: The Pack Mule and the Delusional Maiden**

Sleep had come surprisingly swiftly to Momiji the previous night. She supposed that it was possible that it was simply a mark of how well the former patrolwoman had trained herself to adapt to nearly any situation. The events of her clan's meeting a few nights prior had caught her off guard to be certain, but now her body was beginning to adjust to the scalding waters of her bad luck. Soon, something as trivial as losing her title, her job, or her own free will would be as natural as drawing her next breath.

It was either that or that she had collapsed into her bed and had fallen asleep without dinner was due to the fact that she simply wanted the previous day to end before anything else could go wrong. It was probably the latter, honestly. She'd never get used to her recent string of bad luck, and she was fully certain that the sky would have fallen if she had prolonged yesterday in any way.

Now, Momiji found herself sitting on the cliffside adjacent to her new employer's home, aimlessly passing the time by watching the sun rise. _'Aya,'_ the wolf thought to herself, baffled at how the situation she now found herself in could even possibly begin to make sense. Aya was now her boss, and her first assignment was to make sure the crow was fully aware of that fact. It was an assignment she was all to willing to put off for however long she could.

Despite her orders, and her strong Inubashiri sense of duty, she was just not ready to begin her new life by knocking on that foreboding door behind her. The sunrise was a welcome distraction in that regard. If she were lucky, Aya would decide to spend her entire day indoors, unaware of the wolf's presence just a stone's throw from her at that moment. If she were lucky, that is. She very well knew she was not. Even still, she could at least hope.

This hope was further compounded by the fact that Aya seemed to live alone, away from any crow village Momiji was aware of. The size of the reporter's house seemed to indicate as much being about a quarter of the size of the Inubashiri's main family's home. Aya's family couldn't possibly life together in such a small shack, nor would they considering they owned their own housing in the crow village. She wondered just why it was that Aya would live by herself, though. Aya had both and elder brother and loving parents, both with fairly luxurious residences last the wolf had checked. Though she did not make it a point to keep track of crow living arrangements, in truth. Still, that Aya would chose to live in such cramped conditions was a mystery.

Did the eccentric reporter have a falling out with her family, or did she simply prefer to live in seclusion? Was Momiji supposed to expect awkward visits from Aya's family from time to time? How was the wolf even supposed to act around Aya's family if she saw them? Was she supposed to walk on eggshells, or would her new employer prefer she ignore them completely? How was she supposed to act around Aya, for that matter?

This was exactly what kept Momiji from knocking on the crow's door the very moment she first arrived. She had spent her entire life familiarizing herself with her surroundings and the hierarchy of the Patrol Corps, yet none of that was of any use to her anymore. She had been assigned something completely new to her and her Inubashiri pride demanded that she give it her all. However, how could she give it her all if she didn't know a thing about life outside of the corps? She was completely lost.

It was as if she had been ordered to patrol the Forest of Magic along the border of Gensokyo. She had no information on the location in the slightest, and had only heard of the name in passing. To suddenly be put in charge of an entirely new region would be insane. Even then she could at least take comfort in the fact that she was proficient in the job required. This was completely different than she was used to, yet no one had taken the time to explain things to her regarding her new position. Even the Patrol Corps had a training program designed to teach the younger wolves everything they needed to know about the mountain.

What did she have to teach her about her life as an assistant, now? She had an obsessive crow reporter who, up until a few days ago, had made it her business to get on every nerve the wolf possessed in her being. That crow was the one she was supposed to rely on to teach her what to do from now on. _That_ crow?

Insanity.

Momiji groaned in frustration as she was forced to shield her eyes from the rising sun. That radiant orange glow she previously admired had dissipated from the sky, leaving behind the usual blue that would dominate the skies for the remainder of the day. She realized now just how poor of a choice she had made in sitting on the rock overlooking the cliffside. It was meant to allow her a place to brood upon in peace and it provided a clear view of the mountain's descent, but the boons that it once offered were now rapidly in decline. There were neither clouds nor trees to shield her from the rays of the burning sun, and the rock she had declared her throne was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. She could easily fall back onto the soft grass behind her, but that was not the point.

No, Momiji was not going to be able to procrastinate like this for very much longer. She was simply too accustomed to being on the move and having a goal in mind. Like this, even the smallest irritations that should have been beneath her were getting on her nerves. How long would it take for her to start yelling at the rock for being uncomfortable like some sort of madwoman? Inactivity would likely affect her as much as being woken in the middle of the night, but she would not allow it to come to that. She had to do something.

Leaning to one side, Momiji glanced hesitantly at the house just to her side. _That _was the alternative, though. Perhaps she could...

No, she couldn't even lie to herself. She was being pathetic, the wolf was forced to admit. It wasn't as if she had any hope of changing the council's decision, nor could she hope to ignore it. She had lazed about long enough, and any more would simply make things worse. Having to explain why she was wasting away on the cliffside would be a much more difficult question to answer than why she suddenly showed up on Aya's doorstep. With a stern look in her eye, Momiji pulled herself to her feet and glared at her objective.

She was going to knock on that door.

After that... she'd think of something... hopefully.

Momiji tried not to dwell on her uncertainty as she climbed the steps to her goal. She found it difficult to fight off her urge to observe the dwelling in the process, however. It wasn't just a last ditch effort to distract herself. She had done her best to ignore the stronghold when she first arrived, but now that she was forcing herself to storm it, the building genuinely seemed odd to her.

Unlike her own home, Aya's seemed to utilize rather... unique architecture. The designs and architecture that the wolves employed for their homes was very traditional, latching on to the aesthetics of feudal Japan and making it their own. Momiji had known nothing but paper walls, sliding doors, and formal tea ceremonies her entire life. That was the image of a home in Momiji's mind.

Aya's house was different, though. For one, the door did not appear to slide open as she was accustomed to. Also, she had used the term "knock" as something of an expression. Momiji had initially intended to call out to the crow to announce her presence, but this door seemed to be made of solid wood. She could probably actually knock on it, as strange of a concept that seemed to her.

Was this what they called Western design?

It was novel in its own way, being able to actually knock on something to beckon the owner's attention. Her hesitation nearly gave way to her urge to put that saying to practice, but the image of the door's owner stilled her hand. It was easy to tell herself to simply knock, but knowing what that would bring made it difficult. Was she truly ready for this?

The wolf was so lost in her own thoughts that she only barely registered the sensation of wood colliding with her knuckles. Confusion set in at first, though it was shortly driven out by understanding. She'd actually knocked...

...and she hadn't even been aware enough to enjoy it in the least. Her misfortunes grew by one that moment, it seemed. Life simply wasn't fair.

For a while, only silence answered the wolf's summons. Momiji wondered if the crow was still asleep or even if she was still home. She had mentioned that she kept odd hours. It would be just her luck to be assigned to Aya the day she had not returned home. It was only when the white wolf began to wonder what amount of time would be proper to wait before knocking again that she heard shuffling from within.

Perhaps if she ignored the sound, she could still knock and actually enjoy the novelty before-

_thud_

Sadly, Momiji was forced to forgo her plans when the owner of the house decided to respond to her call with a knock of her own... using their entire body. That couldn't be customary, could it?

"Ow," a muffled voice groaned from within the house. "Go," Momiji clearly heard the voice let out a long, exaggerated yawn before continuing. "Tired... Fired. You're fired. Told them I..." the voice yawned again. "Told them I didn't want an assistant. You're fired. Go away."

Momiji stared at the door with a rather amused expression. It was nice when the shoe was on the other foot for once. In truth, the wolf couldn't recall a time when she had been the one to catch the crow off guard. Perhaps she could have a little fun before she had to submit to her fate. It wasn't as if she could abide by Aya's hasty decision of firing her sight unseen, regardless. Even if she turned tail and fled now, the council would simply send her back the next day. She might as well get some final bits of enjoyment out of life in that case.

Momiji allowed herself a small smirk as a mischievous idea began forming in her mind. Knowing that the owner seemed rather out of it that morning was information that she just couldn't possibly let go to waste.

Silently, Momiji held her breath and listened for the sounds of the crow's footsteps as she backed away from the door. If the owner had reacted to comically to her first knock, Momiji was anxious to find out what a second would bring. It was only when the muffled footsteps of the crow were deemed a satisfactory distance away that the wolf dared to knock again, this time harder, louder, and with great enjoyment.

At least she tried to enjoy it. Knocking could be quite painful if done too forcefully, she learned.

"Gah!" The voice from before cried out, followed shortly by several loud crashes and bangs in quick succession.

Despite the pain she had subjected her hand to, that sound had been worth it and she had to fight herself to keep from laughing. This was much more fun that sliding a door open and announcing your presence. She needed this. She really did.

"I said go away!" The voice raged from within, this time her footsteps loud and heavy as she angrily stomped on the ground.

Momiji was temped to repeat the process again, but given the crow's tone, she was more likely to be ignored than rewarded with another outburst. She would have to settle for this much... for today, at least. Though her life was plagued by misfortune, it seemed she was just fortunate enough to pull off something like this. Perhaps there would be other opportunities in the future.

"Aya," the white wolf called out in seriousness. "It's me."

For a brief moment, Momiji could sense the hesitation of the reporter, even with the closed door between them. Before she could dwell on it, however, the door was flung open with such force that the perpetrator nearly knocked themselves over in the process.

There stood Aya, gawking at the wolf in disbelief, and looking quite disheveled. Momiji had to avert her gaze from the crow swiftly, lest she allow her eyes to drift downward for too long. Living alone and in the safety of one's own home, it was only natural to live as comfortably as possible. For some, that entailed living in a messy room or decorating to one's own tastes. For Aya, however, it seemed as if she lived in a particular state of undress.

Aya had forgotten to wear a skirt, and what Momiji obtained the briefest of glimpses of was neither Gensokyo's traditional bloomers nor the loincloth the wolves used. It was something else entirely. It was something frilly.

Was this what they called Western design?

"No..."

No, she really wasn't wearing a skirt, but that's not what the voice was reacting to.

"They didn't..." Aya simply stared at her new charge, both in confusion and frustration. Momiji could tell from the crow's rapidly changing expressions that the girl was having a difficult time forming exactly what she wanted to say. Still, she tried. "This is because of me, isn't it?"

In a way, that was true, but not in the sense that the reporter was thinking.

"No," Momiji shook her head, trying to seem as convincing as she could be. "Everyone down at central thinks less of you after yesterday, not me. Everyone knows the crow made a silly demand, just like you thought would happen. This isn't because of yesterday, I can assure you."

"But you're supposed to be my new assistant?"

"Yes." That much should have been obvious.

"Are you," Aya bit her lip, cutting herself off. Her eyes seemed to be looking through her, as if both aware and unaware of her presence. It was only natural that the crow was this confused given her feelings. "You're not with the corps anymore, are you?"

"No," Momiji stated flatly. There was no use putting her own frustration and remorse on display. "I was discharged."

"Why?!" Aya practically screamed as she flailed her hands in the air furiously. "This doesn't make sense! They told me I was getting assistant, but they never said they were stripping anyone from their position. Why you? You were the most amazing member of the corps I'd ever met, and the only one I..." The crow seemed to instantly calm, lowering her hands and casting her eyes at the ground between them. "I didn't want this," she barely managed to whisper. It was obvious to anyone that the crow's final statement had merely been partially true.

Regardless, Momiji was well aware of the Aya's innocence. It would have been so easy to explain the entire situation to the crow, to tell her about the council and her uncles. However, in doing so she would be forced to explain the justifications for their actions. She would be forced to reveal that she was privy to Aya's heart.

Such a thing was wrong. Perhaps it was the best decision and the right one given the circumstances, but Momiji could not bring herself to crush Aya in that manner. Even though she did not share the crow's affections, she would not strip the girl of her right to reveal them on her own terms. She would have to deal with that sooner or later, but she just prayed she found the strength to reject her gently when that time came. Until then, she simply had to live normally and deal with everything that came her way.

"I know you didn't," Momiji shook her head. "Neither of us did. I don't have a choice in the matter, though. The Council of Elder Wolves decided you needed an assistant despite your reputation of releasing them prematurely. Mine was simply the name they decided upon to take the job. I can't refuse them."

"You're not angry?" Aya seemed to begin flailing again. "Why aren't you angry? This isn't right. This must be so hard for you. Why do you sound fine with all of this?"

Did she? She wasn't, that was for certain. Momiji simply had more time to deal with everything. She'd had her opportunities for outbursts and her opportunities for depression. How was she supposed to act, now? It was still unfair and it still wasn't right, but what could she do? What could be done? And...

Why was Aya looking at her like that?

Before she could react, Momiji found herself enveloped in Aya's warm embrace. This was... entirely unpleasant and unwanted, but why... Why did it feel so reassuring when the crow patted her head so gently?

"Aya," the white wolf let out a feeble growl, "get off-"

"It's fine," the reporter continued patting the wolf's head. "It's not right, I know. You don't have to hold it in."

What was the crow on about? She wasn't holding anything in. She knew full well what her situation was. Aya didn't even know what her situation was and here she was telling her how to cope with it? _That_ wasn't right. And what did Aya expect her to do; defy the council? Even Aya wasn't so stupid to suggest something like that.

Her only option was to simply deal with it. This was her life, now. It didn't matter that it was unfair. It didn't matter that it wasn't right. It didn't matter that she'd never get to patrol the mountain like she used to. It didn't matter that she'd never experience that same sense of purpose... It didn't matter that she'd lost the one thing she loved... It didn't... It didn't...

Why...

Momiji clutched the back of Aya's blouse tightly as she returned the crow's embrace.

Why was she crying?

"It's not fair," the wolf nuzzled deep into her companion's neck in a vain attempt to hide her tears. Her voice alone was enough to give her away, though. "I don't want this. I just... wanted to be normal. I wanted," she sniffled, "to be a normal member of the corps."

"I know," Aya spoke softly as she continued to pat her head. Thank the gods for that hand of hers. It felt divine. "It's not your fault."

Of course it wasn't! It was her damned uncles, it was her father, and... "It's the stupid council," she managed the wheeze out. "Why does it have to be me? Can't they see I'm not willing? I don't understand."

"It's okay. Shh." Aya hushed her softly and Momiji was barely aware that the crow was slowly rocking her back and forth like a child. She must look like an idiot.

"I'm sorry," the wolf began, but Aya was quick to cut her off.

"It's okay. You don't have to talk anymore. Just stay like this for however long you need. I'm here for you."

She was, wasn't she? Why was Aya being so nice? She wanted to hate her as well. Why did the reporter have to have feelings for her. It was because she couldn't keep her mouth shut or keep her pictures to herself that her uncles got this insane idea in their heads. She wanted to hate her. She deserved her scorn. But why was she being so nice?

She couldn't hate her like this, no matter how much she wanted to.

So, Momiji did the only thing she could do. She cried. She didn't say anything else. She dared not let her uncles' scheme slip from her tongue, yet she cried nonetheless.

Momiji had been such a fool until now. She'd tried to shoulder the burden herself. She'd let her circumstances dictate how she acted. She'd never truly allowed herself the freedom of expression she required outside of short bursts, and even then she had been quick to placate herself. Her short bit of fun at Aya's expense before had been humorous, but if she were to be honest, _this_ is what she truly needed.

And Aya had known that. Somehow Aya had known that.

Only when Momiji's eyes refused to shed another tear did the wolf attempt to pull away, though Aya refused to allow her to back up entirely. The crow allowed her hands to slide up to the wolf's shoulders to keep her steady. Though Aya was adamant about making sure she was met with a warm smile to end her outburst, but Momiji found it difficult to look the crow in the eyes.

She still wanted to cry, but she just couldn't. Her body demanded otherwise.

"Hey," Aya tried to get the wolf's attention, though Momiji still refused to meet her gaze. "Are you okay?"

"No." She wasn't, and she wasn't going to hide that anymore.

"I'm here. You can tell me anything."

"Good," Momiji finally managed to meet Aya's gaze with the briefest of smiles of her own. She now had the courage to tell her exactly what was on her mind that moment.

"You're not wearing a skirt."

⑨

Momiji had been lead into the crow's house with much haste once Aya had gotten over her own embarrassment, and the wolf now found herself seated at what she presumed to be a dining table of sorts. Aya had offered to show her to another, smaller room with cushioned furnishings, but Momiji's legs seemed to have a mind of their own. The unnatural smell of the cushioned room was unappealing compared to the scent of wood and lingering smells of food from the kitchen. The dining table with its wooden chairs felt most reminiscent of her own home, and she was desperate for such a sense of security after her fit on Aya's doorstep.

She still hated these damned chairs, though. The little things she assumed were meant to rest her hands upon felt as constraining as shackles to the wolf. She hoped her duties as Aya's assistant did not entail her taking refuge in the reporter's home too often, if at all. Still, they served their purpose, and the smell of wood surrounding her did much to sooth her spirits. She was glad that Aya had been gracious enough to allow her a moment alone shortly after seeing her inside.

Graciousness wasn't really the crow's motivation, Momiji had to admit. After Aya excused herself, Momiji's keen ears had picked up the sound of running water and the wolf realized that Aya had opted to take a bath rather than infringe upon her comfort.

Momiji was thankful for the gesture.

She wondered briefly if Aya was the type to take her baths in the morning or if it had just turned out as such due to her reporter's lifestyle. However, the the white wolf shrugged off such thoughts of her bathing boss swiftly as the road they took her mind down was an altogether unpleasant one.

Momiji just hoped Aya remembered her skirt next time she came to greet her.

Unfortunately for the wolf, the distant sounds of splashing and the faint whistling of a tune her ears picked up would not allow her mind to stray too far from the fact that someone was bathing just a few rooms away. Knowledge of that fact then demanded the recollection of her employer's former state of undress she had witnessed, which in turn forced the same undesired image into her mind that she was trying so desperately to forget.

_'Why had they been so frilly?'_ She thought perplexed. It seemed utterly impractical.

Momiji let out an audible growl as she clenched her teeth tightly. This wasn't working. She needed to actually do something. Sitting there idle, though the smell was soothing, was just as counterproductive as doing so on the rock outside had been. She could not allow her mind to wander, especially when it seemed so intent to do so in directions she rather it not. Even dwelling on the idiocy of her uncles would be preferable, though that would only serve to sour her mood further.

_'I need to do something,'_ the white wolf thought in irritation, freeing herself from the grasp of demonic chair beneath her. She might not be able to go out and patrol as she wished, but she could still survey her current environment just as well. It was similar enough to her former job to satiate her instincts, at least until Aya emerged from the bath and decided to annoy h-

Frills.

The kitchen! Aya's kitchen was nothing of much interest as it was aesthetically similar to her own family's kitchen, but what set it apart were the number of utensils and appliances the former patrolwoman had never seen before. Though, Momiji had to admit she had little insight into what was normal regarding the ins and outs of a kitchen, or anything regarding food preparation for that matter. Growing up, Momiji had always been more keen on honing her skills with the sword and shield than leaning new ones that required a knife and stove. Thus, these strange mechanisms strewn atop Aya's counters could be normal for all she knew.

The fact that most of them were labeled as "Nitori Brand" told the wolf otherwise, however. It would probably be best if she brought her own food from home from now on, at least until she was certain these devices weren't about to explode at the slightest touch. One really never knew when it came to Nitori's inventions, and the white wolf was shocked that the kappa managed to come this far without injuring herself... too seriously.

Momiji backed away from the kitchen slowly, eager to see what else... anything else she could find. Anything that wasn't potentially explosive would do. She passed the room Aya had attempted to lead her to earlier, but did not do more than peak inside. Even cushioned, she couldn't imagine chairs to be all that comfortable built with arms as they were. Also, the smell was still somewhat irritating. It wasn't weird, but it just... wasn't wood.

She liked the smell of wood. It was soothing.

Instead, her nose lead her towards a room that reminded her much of the crow, herself.. Thankfully the room contained no futons or anything of the sort so she ruled out the room being Aya's bedroom. The last thing she needed was for Aya to emerge from the bath and decide to visit her room before looking for the wolf. She didn't want, nor need, a repeat of what-

Frills

…

No, the smell that the wolf likened to the reporter so much was one of ink and paper. The walls seemed to have been plastered with various cutouts and pints of numerous newspaper articles the crow had collected over the years. Most were from Aya's own newspaper, which came as no surprise to Momiji. Aya had always taken great pride in the articles she took the time to write about, so it was only natural in her mind that the reporter would want to preserve the ones she deemed most worthy.

What surprised Momiji, however, was that there were excerpts from other papers as well. From what she understood about crow rivalries, at least those concerning their own newspaper industry, one would think it almost impossible to find a reporter that was willing to say something positive about a rival, or at least about their articles. Yet here Aya was giving the same limelight to other papers as she gave her own, albeit in the privacy of her own home.

In truth, Momiji could not remember an occasion she had heard Aya speak one positive thing about another newspaper, but perhaps this wall spoke for itself. Perhaps there were reporters Aya respected in spite of the traditional rivalries between them. Perhaps this was the case for every crow reporter as well.

It was an interesting notion... and entirely foolish at the same time. If that were truly the case, what was the point of the mindless bickering the reporters practiced daily. Surely to put on such a farce on a daily basis would be tiring, and things would be much more civil between the lot of them if they were more open about the accomplishments of their colleagues rather than constantly bringing up what they would so adamantly proclaim to be their failures. Why was there a need for a rivalry to begin with?

For that matter, what was the point of every reporter having their own paper?

Perhaps it wasn't merely Aya who was strange. Perhaps all crows were simply insane, with Aya personifying that ideal moreso than all others.

The articles Aya chose to pin up seemed to hint at as much for the most part. There was one recounting the events following the Moriya shrine appearing at the mountain's peak, though instead of conveying actual facts, it merely depicted rather risque photos of all those involved, herself included. Momiji didn't hesitate to rip that particular article from the wall.

No matter how nice Aya had been acting recently, her true self seemed to be depicted through her articles. She'd have to remember that and stay cautious around Aya when she had a camera in hand.

Of the remaining articles on the wall, some were surprisingly more tolerable, though some still tempted her hand and called for her to repeat her previous actions. There were a few, though, that were not only tolerable, but perfectly normal at first glance. If the wolf hadn't spied the Bunbunmaru header, she would have doubted Aya had even written them.

There seemed to be a series spread across the wall opposite the doorway that were nothing more than normal interviews with the random denizens of Gensokyo coupled with a brief biography or description of the person's abilities. These were actually interesting.

It didn't take long for Momiji to find herself enthralled with the tales of people she'd only had the privilege to spy upon from afar. To actually read about the youkai living deep underground and their association with the Moriya was intriguing. To read about a girl that used her powers to manipulate her own handcrafted dolls to help her both in and out of battle was inspiring. That the doll-maker was eternally surrounded with the things she loved was something Momiji was envious of, and a luxury the wolf no longer experienced.

Even a story about Cirno managed to warm the wolf's heart, though the end was a tad too bitter for her liking. Apparently the ice fairy at one point managed to coat a small portion of the Forest of Magic with snow in the middle of summer. The story noted that several other fairies threw a grand party and there were pictures of tiny snowwomen with wings. Yet, the article noted that Cirno left the event in tears because someone named Letty didn't manage to make it.

It was nice to see a less irritating side to the fairy, but Momiji was much more interested in the actual biographies than anything else, truth be told. The characteristics and abilities of potential invaders would have been invaluable during her time in the corps. As an organization that worked entirely within the bounds of Tengu lands, information on potential threats was relegated to whatever each wolf could observe and report. There were things in these articles that could potentially change the way the corps worked. Why were none of them aware of these articles? Why hadn't she been?

She wasn't with the corps anymore, but she wasn't about to ignore something that could help defend the land she called home. Aya would likely appreciate the gesture, which was exactly why she didn't plan to tell her anything about it.

She didn't need anymore skirtless hugs.

Frilly.

Damn it!

"Momiji?"

The wolf in question stiffened at the voice, suddenly feeling quite thankful that Aya did not share the abilities of some of the underground youkai she read about. "You're wearing a skirt, right?"

"I'm fairly certain," the reporter snickered. "I can take it off again, if you prefer."

Momiji turned to glare at Aya, more to hide her own embarrassment more than anything. She just had to think of _that_ the moment before Aya showed up again. "I thought you said you weren't going to tease like that anymore."

"I don't recall anything like that," the crow placed a hand on her hip and grinned. "I said I was sorry. I didn't say I'd stop."

Oh great. The real Aya was beginning to pop up again. This was just what she needed.

"It was implied," the wolf narrowed her eyes.

"Assumptions, assumptions," Aya wagged a finger at her. "If you're going to be my assistant, you need to rely on facts."

Momiji almost laughed. Most of the articles she'd skimmed over betrayed that very notion. Oh well. If she was going to tease, the former patrolwoman might as well make the best of it. "Assistant? I thought I was fired?"

"That... didn't count." Aya's look of horror was a pleasant sight to the wolf. "You're not getting out of this that easily."

If only she knew.

"So," Aya continued, "as my assistant, it's up to me to beat the basics into you! I hope you're prepared."

Momiji decided to answer in the most deadpan way she could. "I was born ready."

"Good!" The reporter was having a tough time fighting back her laughter. "How about I make us some tea, and then we'll get started."

"That... actually sounds good." She was anxious to start... whatever it was she was supposed to be doing. Aya had given her something new to compound upon the things she wished to divert her mind from. However, she was actually quite parched, and this would give her a good opportunity to observe the Nitori devices to see if they were dangerous. Aya would act as her guinea pig in that regard.

"So... what exactly am I going to be doing?"

Aya practically beamed at the wolf. She was going to hate the answer, wasn't she?

⑨

Flying took effort. Momiji had been informed through a secondhand source that among the humans, it was a common misconception that youkai could effortlessly fly through the air, laughing and playing the entire day away. That simply wasn't the case. Flying took effort.

Some youkai were more accustomed to the energy expenditure than others. Aya, from what Momiji observed, was one such youkai. The two of them had traveled nearly the entire height of the mountain and were just now finding themselves nearing their destination.

The distance coupled with the thinning air were not something Momiji was used to dealing with. Her patrol generally consisted of her sticking to the treetops for cover, never flying for longer than necessary. The effort necessary for continued flight was distracting and made it easy for something to slip through a wolf's senses. Thus, the trek to the mountain's peak was something of an eye opener for the white wolf. Disregarding Aya's speed, something she could never hope to match in an all out contest, it was fairly embarrassing just how much the journey affected the wolf compared to the crow.

The fact that she was carrying half of her body weight in camera equipment did not help matters.

Aya had insisted on bringing half of her house, it seemed. Every time the reporter had been halfway out the door, she had turned around loudly proclaiming that she might need something else. Momiji quickly realized that with every repetition, her load seemed to grow exponentially heavier. When the two finally managed to exit the crow's home, Momiji could barely been seen underneath all of the bags and straps her new boss had thrust upon her.

Aya was merely carrying her camera.

Thus, Momiji let out a relieved sigh when Aya pointed at their destination and began rambling about being personally requested by the settlers. In truth, the white wolf wasn't too keen on visiting the Moriya Shrine considering the past hostilities between the intruding gods and the Tengu, but as long as there was solid ground beneath her feet, she couldn't seem to care about much else.

This wasn't the first time Momiji had visited the Moriya shrine, though she doubted anyone else realized she was even there at the time. After the Hakurei miko's ascent through Tengu lands, the wolf followed her in secret. She had failed in stopping her, but at the very least she was prepared to observe what she could from the girl. Observing the god and the Moriya miko as they fought would be a bonus.

She just didn't expect the Hakurei and the witch to win.

Both wolves and crow had been prepared to go to war against the intruding gods and yet it just took two teenaged girls to do their work for them. They were terrifying. The corps had commended Momiji for the information she brought back with her, but she had been too shaken to appreciate the gesture. The Hakurei was a force to be reckoned with.

Momiji was only slightly relieved when Aya had told her that they were expected at the Moriya shrine. Though her skills were still far beneath the gods', she was far more willing to return to that shrine rather than its counterpart.

"We're here!" Aya proudly boasted as she landed effortlessly beneath the torii archway.

Momiji's landing was much heavier and louder than the crow's, and she was forced to lean against the arch for support. She was going to severely hurt Aya if she didn't use every bit of this equipment.

"Tired?" Aya turned to glance at her assistant with a frown.

"I just need a minute," Momiji panted as she began set down the dozen packs she had carried. "I'm just not used to how thin the air is up here."

"You should really get out more," Aya suggested in the most irritatingly helpful was possible. "All those yeas cooped up on the Tengu side of the mountain isn't good for you."

_'Maybe it's because I'm carrying all your useless junk,'_ the wolf mentally countered, though she attempted to keep composed outwardly at least. "I suppose."

"Don't worry. Just take your time," Aya waved off. "I have to go greet Kanako and Sanae before we get started, anyway."

Aya was using first names. How often does she come here?

"Part of the peace agreement we have with them is that at least one reporter has to run a story about the Moriya once a week. Some random story usually gets run, but this time the Moriya requested one of us come in for an interview. I'm lucky it was my turn. It sounds like they have something important going on."

_'So, she was personally requested... because it was her turn? She's proud of that?'_

"Important? Probably not" A voice yawned from above them. Despite her exhaustion, Momiji had her sword and shield in hand and had leaped backwards into a defensive position before the voice had even finished its first word. Meanwhile, Aya was... taking pictures. Momiji's eyes drifted upward, but immediately fell to the ground again upon seeing the owner of the voice. It was the childlike goddess, hanging from the top of the archway by her feet... not bothering to hold her skirt upright.

Yet another one who wasn't wearing bloomers. Had this become the style in Gensokyo without her knowing?

Surprisingly, the goddess didn't seem to mind the crow's rapid camerawork. No, she wasn't even paying attention to Aya at all. Though Momiji didn't dare look too far upward, she could clearly tell that the frog girl seemed to be looking directly at her.

"Greetings, Lady Suwako." Aya's trigger finger reminded the wolf of how a humming bird flapped its wings. "Could I bother you for a moment? Could you elaborate on your previous statement, please?"

It was interesting how quickly Aya could transition into a proper reporter. If only the results of the crow's reporting mirrored her current demeanor.

"Sure, sure," The goddess yawned again. Momiji wondered if she'd been napping atop the archway, though the thought seemed odd. She could have sworn no one was there when they had arrived. "Kanako's making a big fuss about that Buddhist diverting all of our faith that usually comes from the human village. Sanae's going along with it, but for her own reasons."

"Can I take it that you are less enthused about collecting faith than the ones previously mentioned?" Aya was taking notes on a small pad of paper, now. When did she managed to take that out? This crow really was fast.

"Faith would be nice," Suwako yawned again before flipping herself atop the archway and lying down. "We're not going to get any from this, though."

"Interesting, interesting," Aya nodded eagerly. "Why do you say that?"

"This is off the record," the goddess turned to look at the crow for the first time. "This won't be part of whatever Kanako wants you to write."

"Of course, Lady Suwako." Momiji could tell Aya was holding back a frown. "I'll only use what you say for context if you wish."

"I do." Suwako turned away from the crow again, folding her hands behind her head as a pillow. "I don't need Kanako interrupting my naps. I won't be able to enjoy it out here when winter comes."

"So, you were talking about faith," Aya said, attempting to steer the conversation back towards the potential scoop.

"Sanae's been in a... mood... recently." Suwako sighed. "It's the reason she's going along with Kanako's whims so easily. It's also the reason nothing can come of this. Even if a miracle were to happen, it will be to Sanae's desire, not Kanako's."

"And what Sanae desires, is...?"

"You'll probably find out," Suwako sighed. "She's really bad at hiding it. It's embarrassing, though I suppose I should be thankful. It could be worse." Suwako finished her thought with a low mumble audible only to Momiji's ears. "She's overdue for _the talk_ so I'm glad it's not that, at least."

"I see, I see," Aya nodded thoughtfully before turning to her assistant. "Momiji, I need you to set up three camera stands around the shrine. It doesn't matter where you put them. I'll move them where I need them, but I'd like you to at least set them up, if you would. I'll be inside speaking with Kanako and Sanae. Feel free to come in when you're done."

Momiji gave a half hearted wave as Aya smiled at her before turning to skip off towards the shrine's entrance. She was humming the same tune she had while bathing, but Momiji was still far too tired for her mind to think of anything beyond her own exhaustion. There was also the fact that she had no idea what a camera stand looked like, but she'd deal with that when the time came.

"Hey doggie," Suwako called from above. Momiji looked up and was slightly taken aback by the glare the frog girl was giving her as she leaned over the side of the archway. This... would not be pleasant. "You really ruined things for me the other day, you know?"

She didn't, in fact. "Excuse me?"

"Just who did you think started the rumor about the lake of frogs?" The goddess frowned. "It took a lot of effort guiding that rumor to the ice fairy. I don't appreciate you getting in the way."

So, gods really did have senses that rivaled her own. That was troubling. "If you're referring to how I drove her and her companion away a few days ago, I had little choice in the matter. I was a member of the Tengu Patrol Corps, and it was my job to repel trespassers."

"That fairy is long overdue for a rude awakening," Suwako continued, ignoring Momiji completely. "Too long has she terrorized the frogs of Gensokyo. It's time she learned to fear the frogs instead. I expect you and your kind to see her through in the future."

Momiji simply sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid I no longer have the authority one way or the other. I was using the past tense when referring to my time in the corpse. I've since been discharged. Why do you think I'm here today?"

"Is that so," the goddess raised an eye brow as she scrutinized the wolf. "That's disappointing. You were actually good at it when you weren't getting in my way."

"Thanks... I guess." That had been a compliment, hadn't it? It was an odd feeling receiving one from a god if it had been.

"So, you're not a doggie anymore," Suwako snickered. "You're a pack mule."

That... was not a compliment. That much she was sure. If this girl were a fairy, she'd face the wolf's ire. As she was, all Momiji could do was grit her teeth and bear it. She could not risk a confrontation with a god, after all. More importantly, she still had her honor, and it demanded that she perform her job to the best of her abilities. She couldn't risk doing anything to ruin Aya's interview.

"You could say that," the wolf grumbled. She agreed, for the most part, but it was still an insult nonetheless. "I feel like it with all this junk." She gave the pile of bags a quick glance before turning back towards the goddess. "You wouldn't happen to know what a camera stand looks like, would you?"

It irritated her just how humorous Suwako found her question.

⑨

"So, you've been patrolling on your own quite a bit, these days," Aya asked as Momiji entered the shrine, though the wolf was quick to note that the question had not been aimed at her. The reporter seemed to be looming over the Moriya shrine maiden with the same pad of paper she'd used outside. From the nervous look on Sanae's face, it seemed Aya's questioning had been going on for a while, some of it intrusive.

"Y-Yes, I suppose that's true." The shrine maiden gave a sideways glance at Momiji as she entered, who have a silent shrug in apology at her boss's behavior. It seemed to calm the girl down at least a bit.

"Would you mind if I asked how many youkai you've exterminated in the past few months?" At least she was calm until Aya asked that. She really was obsessed with her desire for the most interesting scoops, regardless of how many people she had to step on to get them.

"What?!"

"My readership is curious." Momiji was certain that was a lie. "With Gensokyo being home to two shrine maidens whose job it is to exterminate evil youkai, the question beckons to be asked, 'Which one exterminates more.'"

"I-I don't think Miss Reimu really-"

"No, you're right," Aya clarified. "From my own research, the number of youkai the Hakurei maiden has actually exterminated is shockingly small. It seems she only resorts to such methods under extreme circumstances. My readership wants to know if you share the Hakurei's opinion, or if you intend to be more literal about your duties."

Momiji knelt next to Aya, once again offering a silent apology to the green haired girl. She was certain that this Sanae was another such shrine maiden who didn't follow the literal obligations of her duties. The fact that Aya was alive indicated as much. If Momiji had known about the scandalous pictures in the article the crow had written about the Moriya incident, she was certain the reporter wouldn't be alive today. With the strength Sanae possessed, Momiji assumed dispatching one youkai, regardless of how speedy she boasted to be, would be a simple task.

"N-No!"

"So, you don't plan to follow the Hakurei's example, then?"

"No, that's not what I mean," Sanae yelled in exasperation. "That's what I intended to do from the start to those that opposed Lady Kanako, but I didn't understand Gensokyo at the time. Miss Reimu taught me a lot, and now that I've had the chance to meet with a lot of people here, I understand why Reimu acts the way she does."

"So, you can tell me why Reimu seems to slack off at every opportunity, then?"

"Well, no. I can't figure that one out, either," Sanae laughed, much to Aya's delight.

"There it is," the reporter began scribbling rapidly, taking brief glances at the shrine maiden. "You stopped stuttering. Good. We can't do a proper interview if you're like that all the time, can we?"

Momiji let out a sigh. Aya had tormented the girl on purpose, hadn't she? She supposed that was the mark of an experienced reporter, having the ability to trudge through awkwardness and get a normal interview out of a person. Still, her methods were extreme. She basically accused the girl of intending to murder every youkai in Gensokyo.

Also, she was fairly certain the green haired girl had admitted to that being her intent at the start... Momiji was even more thankful that the Hakurei miko was more reasonable than she's felt before.

"Ah!" Aya suddenly looked up from her pad, noticing Momiji for the first time. She quickly turned back to Sanae and gave an apologetic bow. "I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce my associate, here." She gestured to the wolf. "This is the Pure and Almost Always Honest Momiji Inubashiri. Ow!"

Oh... she actually hit Aya in the shoulder. That wasn't proper of her, but... she deserved it.

"Fine," the crow stuck her tongue out at the wolf before turning back to the shrine maiden. "This is the Almost Pure and Always Honest Momiji Inubashiri."

Momiji glared daggers at the reporter, but Aya didn't dare turn to meet her gaze.

"She'll be assisting me with today's interview, as well as any future business we might have with the Moriya shrine."

"So," Sanae's glance turned towards Momiji. The way the shrine maiden was looking at her made Momiji feel very uncomfortable for some reason. "You're Miss Aya's associate?"

"Yeah..." Momiji didn't really know how to answer that. Aya had said as much a few moments prior.

"So," Sanae continued, though her eyes seemed to glaze over. She seemed to be looking in Momiji's direction, but it was as if she were looking through her instead. "You could say you're her assistant."

"That's... my official title, yes."

"Partner, even."

"I wouldn't go that fa-"

"Life... Partner?"

"Sanae!" A voice boomed loudly as one of the room's doorways slid open with a bang, causing the shrine maiden to let out a surprised yelp. In the now open frame, a tall woman in red stood. Though her expression was that of anger, the woman's posture and presence were both noble and commanding.

This was the other goddess of the Moriya shrine, Kanako Yasaka.

"L-Lady Kanako!"

The goddess frowned. "I thought I told you to come find me when the reporter arrived." She gave a brief wave to Aya before turning her full attention towards the wolf. "My apologies, Tengu. Sanae has been getting some strange ideas ever since... nevermind. It doesn't matter. Just don't let it offend you."

"It hasn't," Momiji nodded formally. "I appreciate the concern, though." She _was_ supposed to act formal in front of this goddess, wasn't she? Communing with gods was starting to become commonplace for her, though she didn't appreciate that twist.

"Now," Kanako offered the wolf a small smile before returning her attention to Aya, "I believe I requested an interview."

"Of course!" Aya beamed proudly. "The Pure and Honest Aya Shameimaru came as soon as she was able. I'm happy to listen to whatever you wish to be conveyed, Lady Kanako."

Momiji looked away to hide the fact that she was rolling her eyes. Even though Aya was acting more formal than Momiji had ever seen her accomplish, the crow still wasn't treating this as a formal meeting in the slightest. It just seemed like a normal interview for her.

"I think we should apologize, first," Sanae piped in, having recovered from Kanako's harsh entrance. "It would only be proper."

"Why?" The goddess seemed almost put off by the notion.

"You requested an interview, right?" The shrine maiden explained. "You had them come here to make a request rather than give an interview."

"Does it matter?" Kanako scoffed. "They'll be printing what I say, regardless."

"Requesting that they print an interview is different than requesting that they print something extra in addition."

"How?"

"Excuse me," Aya raised her pen skyward. "I'm not sure what's going on. What do you want, exactly?"

"Lady Kanako would like to request that-"

"I'll say it," Kanako let out a long sigh. Momiji would have laughed at how easily the two of them seemed to trip over semantics if not for the fact that one of them was a goddess and could likely dispatch her from existence with minimal effort. "We'd like for you to print an advertisement."

"So... not an interview?" Aya's eyes drooped slightly.

"Not exactly."

"I see," the reporter tapped her pen on her pad of paper thoughtfully. "What is it you're looking to advertise?"

"I plan to host a festival here at the shrine," Kanako boasted with chin high. "It will be the highlight of the year!"

"Oh!" Aya seemed to perk up greatly. "That is interesting." Her pen began jotting things down furiously. "A private festival for the Bunbunmaru readership. I'm honored."

"What? That's insane."

"Lady Kanako..." Sanae's eye pleaded up at the goddess, obviously trying to calm her down.

"Ah..." Kanako shifted slightly. "I mean that's not exactly what I had in mind, but by proxy your subscribers would be welcome to attend."

"So, you're using the Bunbunmaru to advertise your festival, but you want more people attending than just my subscribers." Aya glanced up at the goddess with a quizzically raised eyebrow. "I'd be honored to run the advertisement, but I'm not sure I follow exactly how you're going to get more people to attend with just this."

"Well, I want you to-"

"Lady Kanako would like to request, she means," Sanae smiled, causing the goddess to grimace slightly.

"Yes," she continued, still eying the oblivious Sanae. "I'd like to request that you print more copies of your paper than you usually do. I'm not sure how large your subscriber numbers are, but we're looking to bring in a fairly large crowd."

Aya's pen stopped, and the crow glanced upwards with a smirk. "How large are we talking?"

"I intend to invite the whole of the human village near the border-"

Momiji stopped listening to the goddess at that point. Her attention had turned to Aya who had nearly fallen backwards in shock, and the wolf had to lend a hand to steady the reporter.

"-thus we'll need at least one extra print for each family, so I estimate that we'll need around fifty extra-"

It was getting difficult to remain discrete with her attempts to keep the crow upright.

"-though we should likely print more just to be safe."

"We should invite a few others as well," Sanae grinned, though something in her eyes warned Momiji of what was to come. "We should invite Miss Reimu to run a booth-"

"No."

"Lady Kanako," Sanae whined. "How many times has Miss Reimu done the very same for us? How could you not return the favor now?"

"What do you think all of this is for?" Kanako yelled. "I'm not sharing our faith with her shrine."

"Lady Kanako..."

"No."

"Kanako."

"No!"

"Please," the shrine maiden gazed upwards with a pleading pout, causing the goddess to falter.

"F-Fine," she sighed. "She can run one booth _this_ time only. That's it!"

"Thank you!" the shrine maiden grinned victoriously.

Momiji didn't think she could look at the goddess the same way again if that was all it took to defeat her. Then again, perhaps it was simply the case of the Moriya shrine maiden's power. It could be considered nothing short of a miracle.

"If we're bringing up additions," Kanako brought up, "then we should likely invite the Buddhist Byakuren as well, though I hate to invite a second rival. The fact of the matter is that a growing number of humans are buying into her ideals, and we'd lose out on faith if we alienated them."

"Good idea, Lady Kanako," Sanae clapped excitedly. "Maybe she'll bring Miss Nue and Miss Murasa as well."

"I..." Kanako eyed the shrine maiden strangely. "I suppose she might."

"Also," Sanae continued, "even though we're inviting mostly humans, there are a few youkai we should invite as well. Miss Keine, the schoolteacher, would be one. She's quite popular among the villagers despite being a youkai herself."

"Agreed," Kanako nodded. "We should give her extra copies for her students as well. Having some families with two prints would likely be better than just one. They'll come for sure, then."

"And if we invite Miss Keine," Sanae continued, "we have to invite Miss Mokou was well. Miss Mokou is like a daughter to Miss Keine, after all."

"Alright. One more couldn't hurt, even if that Mokou girl doesn't have the best reputation among the adults."

"And," Sanae was shifting visibly now, her eyes fully glazed over. "If we invite Miss Mokou, we have to invite Miss Kaguya and a few others from Entei as well."

Everyone in the room seemed to stare at the girl in silence before Kanako finally spoke.

"Why?"

"I... we just have to!" Sanae seemed genuinely taken aback. "They have to come!"

"I can understand that Yagokoro woman," Kanako relented. "Her medicines are widely used among the humans, after all. By the same token, a few of the rabbits wouldn't be an issue, either. They mostly handle the medicinal deliveries. That Kaguya girl, though," her expression soured, "I don't like her attitude. She doesn't get along with the humans, either. There's no reason for her to come."

"There's a very important reason!"

"What?"

All eyes were on Sanae as she fidgeted overtly. "Because..." Momiji raised an eyebrow at the growing blush across the girl's cheeks. The entire room was taken aback by what the shrine maiden said next. "If Miss Mokou and Miss Kaguya are in the same room together, something good might happen!"

Kanako's palm met her forehead as she let out a loud groan. "Sanae... we've been through this. You need to stop these fantasies. They've been getting out of hand. They've _been_ out of hand for the past few months, now. You're embarrassing yourself, and me."

"It's not embarrassing," Sanae challenged defiantly. "It's wonderful."

"Um," Momiji couldn't stop herself. "What's wonderful, exactly?"

"It's nothing," Kanako tried to explain. "Sanae just has this ridiculous idea in her head, and she won't let it go. It's not even worth discuss-"

"Everybody in Gensokyo is gay, aren't they?!" Sanae practically squealed with glee.

Momiji and Kanako both shared a sigh, but it was Momiji who spoke up. She needed to clarify this for the good of everyone in Gensokyo.

"Not exactly," the white wolf stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Though there are some youkai that simply spring into existence like fairies, others are born. The act of birth requires a father and a mother, similar to what is required of you humans." Though, Momiji had heard horror stories of magic spells and drugs used to circumvent that requirement. She didn't want to think of those, let alone bring them up only to confuse this poor girl. "Take the Tengu, for example. There exist both male and female Tengu, even beyond the divide of crow and wolf Tengu. I can assure you, I have both a father and mother. Thus, someone's sexuality should not be generalized and should be considered on a case by case basis."

"Oh..." Sanae's eyes seem to drop with disappointment, and for a moment Momiji was beginning to feel somewhat guilty for shattering the girl's dreams. This was likely what Suwako had been referring to outside.

"I consider myself a lesbian, though," Aya's voice suddenly broke the silence.

Momiji's eyes shot open as her head jerked to the side to stare at the owner of the voice, Aya. The reporter's eyes were just as wide and she seemed to share the wolf's surprise, though it was entirely directed at herself.

Aya probably didn't even think before she spoke.

Momiji simply shook her head. Aya probably saw the crushed look on Sanae's face and wanted to improve her mood so that she could return to a proper interview. The crow had dug her own grave this time.

"I-I mean," Aya stammered out, but Sanae cut her off.

"Really?!" The green haired girl's expression was of total admiration and wonder. Just what ideas had Sanae come to about the denizens of Gensokyo? For that matter, why was she looking at her with the same glazed eyes, now? Why did so many people keep looking at her strangely these days? "What about you?"

Momiji opened her mouth to answer but soon found that she had no real answer. She sent a pleading glance at Aya, but found that the crow was giving her the same look as Sanae was. Of course Aya would be interested in her answer. She'd gain no help from her. The main problem was that she had no answer.

"Undecided," she finally managed to choke out. She saw Sanae's expression fall slightly, but Aya's merely returned to her normal state. It seemed Aya wasn't the least bit disappointed with her response. The crow still had hope, it seemed.

How unfortunate.

"Anyway, let's get back to the subject at hand," Aya spoke up, likely anxious to return to real reporting,

"That would be best," Kanako nodded.

"So, about how many extra prints did you both decide upon. I take it there's no one else that comes to mind."

"Not as far as I'm concerned," Kanako shook her head. "We should probably come to a definitive number before Sanae decides to invite the lot of Gensokyo. I suppose with those mentioned plus a few extras, we would need around seventy-five to one hundred extra prints."

"Plus one one for Miss Kaguya," Sanae demanded adamantly.

"Plus... one for that Kaguya girl," the goddess relented.

"I'll just go with a-a hundred, then, is that alright?"

"That should be fine."

"That seems like a bit of extra work for me delivering everything, but with Momiji helping, it shouldn't-"

"No, just deliver any extras here, if you would. We'll be distributing the papers ourselves. It is our festival, after all."

"That's fine, that's fine," Aya waved. "That's actually better. I suppose you'd like this to be front page news, then?"

"Of course. We want people to know about our festival at first glance, after all."

Momiji held back a frown. She didn't know much about reporting, but the fact that someone could request front page treatment didn't seem quite right, goddess or not.

"Is there anything else," Aya glanced between Kanako and Sanae curiously. "Are there any articles wish to be included in the paper or any special notes?"

"No, just the advertisement is fine. I don't care about the rest of your paper."

"Lady Kanako means she doesn't want to impose upon your work further," Sanae translated, again returning from the land of her fantasies.

"Alright then," Aya grinned at the two. "All that's left is to discuss the layout and what you want expressed in the advertisement. I'm at your disposal, after all."

"Good," Kanako returned with a grin of her own. "This is what I want."

⑨

It felt like hours until Aya and Momiji found themselves from the shrine and enjoying the warm rays of sunlight once again. Momiji was glad for that, at least. Aya just seemed to grumble about the sun being too bright and terrible for the mood she wanted to convey.

She was dashing from camera stand to camera stand, making tiny adjustments to each before moving her camera to a new one. Aya was trying to explain camera terminology to the wolf and why the right angle was important, but Momiji was content to rest against the torii archway and let the reporter do her work. Suwako excused herself inside the shrine shortly after they exited, and Momiji did not envy her one bit.

Kanako and Sanae did not seem to agree on anything regarding the advertisement. Sanae seemed to want the advertisement to depict her inner fantasies with shades of pink and graphics of what she referred to as a yuri flower covering the pages. Thankfully, Kanako was quick to shoot that prospect down, and the conversation soon derailed into an argument.

Eventually, Sanae begrudgingly agreed upon Kanako's views after having been reminded of how many liberties Kanako allowed when inviting people. The shrine maiden really had no argument after that, and Momiji was glad for it.

Sanae had continued with her odd glances at both Aya and the wolf, and Momiji was simply relieved to be away from it. It was unnerving, especially since Sanae was acting nothing like she had been when she observed her fight with the Hakurei miko. Perhaps this was her true self, or perhaps she was just the type to obsess over the things she loved.

Momiji made a note to never introduce her to her uncles. The last thing she needed was for her uncles to find the support of Moriya's living goddess.

"Momiji," Aya's voice interrupted her musings. The wolf glanced sideways to spy a rather perturbed crow tapping her foot expectantly. "You're not listening, are you?"

"Nope," the wolf grinned.

"What am I going to do with you," the reporter sighed helplessly. "Let's just pack up. I've got everything I need for a simple advert. I was hoping for something bigger, but with the amount of extra copies they want run, I guess I shouldn't complain."

Momiji pushed herself off the archway and walked towards the camera stands. Aya likely expected her to pack everything up, so she might as well get started. "What's so good about printing extra copies. It just seems like more work. You're not even allowed to write something you want to write for the front page."

"That's true, but something good might come out of it."

"If you start being delusional like that shrine maiden, I'll really quit."

"That's not what I mean," Aya laughed before allowing her excitement to shine through. "I'm thinking about the turnover! A hundred extra copies. How many do you think will become subscribers of the Bunbunmaru after this?"

None, probably.

"I'm not expecting a hundred. That's silly. They're honestly printing much more than they need, but I'm not going to argue with them on that. Even if I only get ten new subscribers out of this, then that's fantastic. Word of mouth spreads fast in the human village, and it won't be long until I get the entire village subscribing to my paper!"

"I have to admire your ambition," Momiji smirked, "but you're going to need more than just an advertisement to do that."

"I know, that's why we need to make sure the rest of the paper is the best." The crow glared at Momiji with fierce determination. "Momiji! We need to go investigate!"

"Where?"

"Everywhere!"

Momiji was certain that she could see fire blazing in the crow's eyes, but perhaps it was merely the reflection of the sun.

* * *

It's somewhat difficult to write Aya with the story as it is now. We all know her as the Pure and Honest Reporter Shameimaru Aya, but the story hasn't allowed her to be that quite yet. The closest she's been able to get is in the Moriya scenes, but Sanae seemed to overshadow her in those.

Sanae is obviously different than how I briefly wrote her in Scarlet. I actually came up with a storyline reason for the shift, but It doesn't fit in with any of the Touhou stories I have planned. The basic concept is that while visiting the Scarlet Devil Mansion after the events of Scarlet, she becomes privy to the knowledge that Patchouli and Koakuma are in a relationship. This causes her to look at things differently since she comes from a world where that is frowned upon as it is in Japan but now lives in one where such a thing seems commonplace. I then take the fact that she's become obsessed with things she's interested in in the past, such as giant robots, and taken it to the extreme to get the Sanae we have now. She's not like that all the time, but the story called for her to be like that this time.

No, Sanae's not just voicing my own opinion that Mokou and Kaguya make the best Touhou couple. That's a fact. I don't need help from her on that.

Also, I couldn't resist having both shrine maidens say "Everyone in Gensokyo is gay, aren't they?" in both stories.

**Fun**** Fact: **Each chapter has been approximately 29 and a half pages long, single spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font. Despite the difference in word count, they end up the same every time. How does that work?


End file.
